Following Prime Minister Iveta Radičová’s call for Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) chairman Richard Sulík to resign from his position as speaker of parliament, he could now be recalled by parliament, a senior lawmaker has said. Sulík and his party refused to vote for an increase in the EFSF eurozone bailout fund in a confidence vote on October 11, thus leading to the fall of the government.
Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice chairman Pavol Abrhan told the SITA newswire that Sulík had failed as speaker and that parliament would initiate his withdrawal. SITA reported that this had been confirmed by other coalition members.
Meanwhile, Sulík told the TASR newswire that he saw no reason to resign. “I don’t see the slightest reason for me to resign only because Iveta Radičová wishes me to do so. But if recalled I will, of course, humbly respect this,” he said on Wednesday, October 12, as quoted by TASR. He added that any potential call for SaS ministers to step down lost any meaning after the government fell. Sulík repeated that SaS MPs all voted in compliance with the programme statement of the government and their consciences.
The Slovak cabinet will meet on Wednesday, October 12, to decide when to hold a re-run of the EFSF vote that failed to attract sufficient support on October 11. the Sme daily reported. Now that the government has fallen, MPs from the opposition Smer party are expected to support the EFSF changes, thus ensuring their passage.
Sources: SITA, TASR, Sme
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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