In the shadow of the coalition crisis, the HZDS party congress amended the party statutes and voted to prolong the term of party officials from two to four years, the Sme daily wrote on November 26.
The new rule is retroactive, which keep party head Vladimír Mečiar in the top post until 2011.
The congress also defined sanctions against those who damage the party’s interests or are insufficiently involved in its activities.
Mečiar's opponents criticised the changes. Political scientist Grigorj Mesežnikov also said that the measures are very unusual and show decline of the party. The fact that the party prolonged the term of senior officials, without announcing elections after the change was enacted, shows that the party oligarchy is cementing its power, he said.
But HZDS MP Ján Kovarčík says the changed statutes have nothing to do with the fact that Mečiar had an opponent in the last leadership election.
-SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
