Fellow opposition politicians criticise KDH for allying with Smer

OPPOSITION parties are not keen to back the draft amendment to the Constitution that Smer and the Christian Democrats (KDH) agreed to propose together. This could be the final straw that could cause the break-up of the People’s Platform, which the KDH formed with opposition parties Most-Híd and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ).

OPPOSITION parties are not keen to back the draft amendment to the Constitution that Smer and the Christian Democrats (KDH) agreed to propose together. This could be the final straw that could cause the break-up of the People’s Platform, which the KDH formed with opposition parties Most-Híd and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ).

The proposal joins Smer’s changes in the judiciary and the KDH’s proposal to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman in the Constitution.

The SDKÚ strongly criticised the joint course of action. SDKÚ head Pavol Frešo stated that he had viewed the People's Platform as an alternative to the governing Smer.

"Nonetheless, the coalitions of the KDH and Smer in the regional elections [in November] in Nitra region and Banská Bystrica region, and the coalition of Most-Hid with Smer in Košice region, also damaged this notion of a joint alternative," said Frešo.

Most-Híd party leader Béla Bugár said that his party will not vote for the proposal. While Most-Híd is committed to improving the state of affairs in the judiciary, it champions systematic changes that will clean things up in the area and remove delays in court proceedings, TASR reported.

Most-Hid caucus leader László Solymos described Friday's agreement between Smer and KDH as “unfortunate”, adding that the People's Platform needs to be re-evaluated.

"It seems to be a quid pro quo agreement [between the KDH and Smer]. The judiciary is an important issue and if we wanted to do it properly, more time would be needed," said Solymos.

Nonetheless, the the KDH-Smer agreement is not the only reason for re-evaluating the People's Platform, stressed Solymos. He views as similarly problematic the fact that several SDKÚ MPs have signed petitions in support of various presidential candidates, while the People's Platform has made an agreement to back the KDH's Pavol Hrušovský in the March 15 vote.

Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) leader Richard Sulík said the KDH and Smer have cemented their strategic alliance and the groundwork for a future governing coalition.

Sulík maintains that the linking of the two issues is the result of reckless bartering.

"We consider this to be highly improper. Tragicomically, presidential candidate Pavol Hrušovský was involved in the announcement of this pact,” Sulík said, as quoted by TASR. “This may indicate that the KDH will back Robert Fico in the second round of the presidential elections.”


To read more, see Marriage now part of the campaign.

Source: TASR

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

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