Sulík: EFSF solution nowhere in sight

As far as ruling coalition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) is concerned, no acceptable solution to Slovakia’s EFSF dilemma currently exists, the party’s leader, Richard Sulík, said in parliament on Wednesday, October 5.

As far as ruling coalition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) is concerned, no acceptable solution to Slovakia’s EFSF dilemma currently exists, the party’s leader, Richard Sulík, said in parliament on Wednesday, October 5.

Sulík said that SaS is willing to discuss such a solution that wouldn't block other European countries or cost Slovak taxpayers a single cent. "Such a solution is nowhere in sight, however," he said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

When asked whether he could guarantee that all SaS MP would vote against changes to the EFSF bail-out fund, Sulík pointed to an SaS press conference last month at which all SaS MPs vowed not to support the proposal. The parliamentary vote on changes to the bailout fund is expected to take place on October 11.

At least 76 out of 150 MPs’ votes are needed in order to ratify the international agreement. However, the proposed changes don't sit well with coalition's SaS party, or its Civic Conservative Party (OKS) and Ordinary People factions, without whose votes the coalition would not be able to pass the motion. The largest opposition party Smer says that it supports the EFSF, but will not vote in favour of it unless the coalition is united or agrees to early elections.

The Hospodárske Noviny daily wrote about the principle on which Prime Minister Iveta Radičová (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ)) based a recent, secret proposal to break SaS’ resistance regarding the EFSF extension. According to the proposal, Slovakia would secure, through a parliamentary resolution, the right to decide on loans to indebted countries independently from the stances of other eurozone members. However, her proposal did not win support. The head of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, Luxembourg’s Jean-Claude Juncker, stated clearly that no concessions would be made to Slovakia, HN reported.

Sources: TASR, Hospodárske Noviny

Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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