Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico believes there is no fundamental reason to justify Slovakia delaying its ratification of the permanent European Stability Mechanism (ESM) bailout fund, he said during a press conference held after a meeting with the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. Moreover, he stressed that the issue would be discussed at the next session of parliament, to be held later in June, the SITA newswire reported.
“I have sent out invitations to all chairmen of parliamentary parties in order to win broader support,” Fico said, as quoted by SITA, adding that Slovakia has to show that it is responsible and is able to do its homework.
Van Rompuy said that Slovakia has to continue in its efforts to contribute to the stability of the eurozone, stressing that “in this association, I welcome the Slovak government’s commitment to promptly ratify the agreement on the ESM as well as the new fiscal agreement”, SITA wrote.
Meanwhile, opposition politicians said that the ESM vote should be postponed to as late a date as possible. They propose waiting for the situation to develop, and to hear the opinion of the eurozone’s largest countries, in particular Germany and France.
To approve the permanent rescue mechanism requires 76 votes. Since Fico’s Smer party has 83 MPs, there is unlikely to be any delay in passing the measure.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
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