Former PM Iveta Radičová (right) with President Andrej Kiska (right. (source: TASR)
“Will you not return to politics?” journalist Monika Tódová asked former Slovak prime minister, Iveta Radičová, in a debate organised by the Denník N daily on March 18.
Radičová's government fell following a failed vote on the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) in October 2011. Since the voting was also linked to the vote of confidence in her cabinet, early elections followed and Radičová decided to leave politics.
“Of course I will return, and the law will come with me,” Radičová replied wittily to Tódová's question, as quoted by the Trend weekly.
Although she at first did not want to return to the question, she continued.
“I carry the shared responsibility for the fall of my government on my shoulders,” she said, as quoted by Trend. “I punished myself – I retreated from politics.”
Talks with the president
At the same time, Radičová admitted that she has been regularly meeting with incumbent President Andrej Kiska. They often discuss politics. When asked to provide more details, the former PM just said that everything is about the right timing.
“The art of politics is about the timing,” she claimed, as quoted by Trend. “As soon as the right time comes, you will be fully informed.”
Kiska wanted to be part of a change
The possibility of Kiska entering politics has been discussed since he announced he would not seek re-election as president last May. Even though he described wanting to spend more time with his family as the main reason, he did not say he was leaving politics once his term ended.
“Slovakia needs a fundamental change in the style of governance and I feel a personal responsibility to help with such a change,” Kiska said at the time.
He wanted to think of how to use the trust he enjoys among a great part of the public.
“I want to contribute to the start of a new era in Slovakia, to join those who are willing and able to rule in a decent way,” Kiska said.
Although he had promised to give more details about his plans in politics after the autumn 2018 municipal elections, he has not yet commented on the issue.
However, during the first round of the presidential elections on March 16, Kiska confirmed his intention of not leaving politics through a Facebook post, Trend wrote.
