Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) MP Mária Ritomská became the sole opposition MP to vote in favour of the government manifesto on Tuesday, May 15. However, this was due to a malfunction in her voting device, OĽaNO leader Igor Matovič claimed later the same day.
A number of OĽaNO MPs abstained instead of voting against the manifesto, in a ballot which also acted as a vote of confidence in the second government of Robert Fico. Matovič conceded, as quoted by the TASR newswire, that the other opposition parties were criticising OĽaNO over its approach. "They [opposition MPs] even reproach us for our speeches, in which we said that we also see some positives in the manifesto," said Matovič, adding that they were dubbed "the reds" and "Smer's coalition partner". However, OĽaNO wants to give the government a chance, he added.
The Sme daily quoted Matovič as saying that OĽaNO wants to support good things in the government’s programme, but hoped Smer, the governing party, would respond by supporting good proposals submitted by OĽaNO.
Sources: TASR, Sme
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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