Independent Slovak MP Milan Urbáni, who was ousted from the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia party (HZDS) in December 2009, announced at a press conference on February 11 that he is the chair of a new centrist party called the Alliance for a Europe of Nations (AZEN), which has been active for around six months, the TASR newswire reported.
Urbáni said that the aim of the party is to improve the political and entrepreneurial culture in society and to get into parliament in the elections in June. “It's not a disposable party. We have several dozen members and countless numbers of sympathisers,” said Urbáni to TASR, but declined to respond when asked whether MP Zdenka Kramplová, who was also ousted from HZDS in late 2009, plans to join the new party.
Urbáni said that he does not reject cooperation with any parties with similar programmes, including the main governing Smer party. He further stated that AZEN has adopted both leftist and rightist ideas, such as the social dimension of politics on one side, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises on the other.
As for foreign policy, AZEN will make economic diplomacy its priority, said Urbáni. He was expelled from HZDS in December following allegations that he was engaged in building up the structures of the European Democratic Party (EDS). Urbáni denied any involvement in EDS. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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