THE FIRST session of the new parliament will take place on Wednesday, April 4, President Ivan Gašparovič confirmed after a meeting with outgoing Speaker of Parliament Pavol Hrušovský, the TASR newswire reported.
New MPs will swear their oath of office during the session, at which they will also elect a new speaker, deputy speakers, as well as chairs of parliamentary committees and committee members.
Hrušovský said that he and the president hoped that the political culture in the new parliament would differ from the one witnessed among members of the outgoing parliament.
“Slovakia is in a complicated position, and we will be forced to pass several key decisions,” said Hrušovský, as quoted by TASR. “Slovakia will be one of the countries to preside over the Council of the European Union during this electoral term. It is a great responsibility, but also an opportunity to demonstrate that we are prepared in a statesmanlike-enough manner.”