Richard Sulík, whose Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party did not vote for ratification of changes to the eurozone bailout mechanism and thereby caused the fall of the government of Iveta Radičová on 11 October, said he was satisfied at his party’s actions. He said that it had prevented ordinary people from paying for the losses made by banks, the SITA newswire reported.
“Today we saved European taxpayers more than €300 billion that, in the alternative case, would have been paid in order to rescue private banks,” Sulík said, as quoted by SITA. He added that his party received a mandate to protect people, not to pay to salvage banks and their profits.
“We are sorry that because of our principled position we have been blackmailed by the uniting of the vote over the changes to the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) with the confidence vote,” said Sulík, as quoted by SITA, adding that the party has always supported Radičová as prime minister. He stressed that SaS’ conscience is more important than political decisions.
Sulík said he was not afraid of losing his post as speaker of parliament. If MPs decide to recall him he said he would “bear it with humility”, SITA wrote.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
