The programme statement of the second Robert Fico government was accepted by parliament Tuesday afternoon by a vote 82 to 63, the SITA newswire reported on May 15.
“I want to ensure all people in Slovakia that this programme will bring stability and increase social dialogue including protection for people who can only with difficulty protect themselves from the impacts of the present crisis,” said Fico, as quoted by SITA, after the voting.
The next step the government hopes to accomplish is to establish the Council of Solidarity and Development which will prepare measures to decrease the budget deficit to below 3 percent of GDP by 2013. Fico stressed that fulfilment of this goal will take into consideration the needs and problems of the poor and weaker members of Slovak society, SITA wrote.
Besides all Smer MPs the programme statement was supported by Mária Ritomská from Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO). Eight MPs abstained from voting and the rest voted against the manifesto.
The chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Ján Figeľ said that the programme statement is missing concrete steps for reaching the goals set in the document.
“For example, in the area of taxes it is still not clear in which direction the legislation will move,” he said, as quoted by SITA.
Figeľ also warned that the first government of Robert Fico, which ruled between the years 2006 and 2010, was not brave enough to pass measures necessary for consolidation of the public finances, adding that the new cabinet will not need to look for compromises since the ruling Smer does not have a coalition partner.
The government manifesto is based on ten priorities: the effort to mitigate the effects of the financial crisis; to decrease the state budget deficit under 3 percent of GDP; to support economic growth and pricing stability; to decrease the number of jobless; to increase the enforceability of law; to consolidate public health care, especially through its financial stabilisation; to strengthen responsibility for fulfilling the strategic aims of the European Union and more effective drawing of the money from the structural funds; to improve the economic, social and regional cohesion of society; to establish long-term policies for economic, social, environmental, scientific and technical development and to improve life, and establish a government open to all layers of society.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
