Representatives of centre-right parties the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), and Most-Híd met on Wednesday, June 23, and agreed the wording of their coalition agreement, but the details of how the portfolios will be divided remains unknown.
"Each of us has laid out our visions and expectations and we'll continue on Thursday," said SDKÚ election leader and prospective future prime minister Iveta Radičová. According to her, there is interest from more than one party in about a third of the posts, but she refused to specify them.
Referring to the post of deputy prime minister for knowledge-based society, European affairs, human rights and minorities, Radičová commented that the post would be useless unless it carried real power. "But we agreed that, with real powers and performance expectations, this post is highly important," she stressed. However, it is not yet clear whether the position will be retained. If it is, ministries may be divided according to the proportion 5-4-3-3, i.e. 5 seats for SDKÚ, 4 for SaS, and 3 for both Most-Híd and KDH.
The leaders also agreed that the Environment Ministry should continue to exist independently and should not come under the umbrella of the Agriculture Ministry, as was to have happened on July 1 according to a plan drawn up by the outgoing administration.
Radičová specified that the approved coalition agreement deals with various situations, including submission of important decisions and laws, various proceedings – including matters which should be approved by the Coalition Council and which need not – and actions that would be considered a violation of the coalition agreement. "We've agreed that we'll meet regularly – with all the MPs – so that we can also hear their opinions. I think we've covered all problematic situations," she said, as reported by the TASR newswire, adding that voting with the opposition would be viewed as a violation of the coalition agreement.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
