The Slovak parliament on Wednesday, August 11, almost unanimously approved the country’s participation in the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), with a potential cost of almost €4.4 billion in the form of guarantees, the TASR newswire wrote.
Of the 142 MPs present, 140 lawmakers voted in favour participation in the EFSF. The only MP opposed to it was Most-Híd's Ondrej Dostal, while Slovak National Party (SNS) first vice-chair Anna Belousovová abstained from the vote.
Although the general agreement has been approved in Parliament, Slovakia still has not become an effective part of the EFSF, according to Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš (SDKÚ). “We'll become part of it after changing legislation, which will allow us to accept such a guarantee. The current legislation doesn’t allow it, so in September we’ll have to come up with a legislative proposal that will allow such a guarantee,” said Mikloš in parliament, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
The opposition reproached the government for misusing the issue in the election campaign and its subsequent “opinion gymnastics”. Smer MP Jozef Burian stressed that SDKÚ and SaS, which had criticised the EFSF, should be the first to apologise to their voters. Mikloš responded that the stance of his party has not changed, as Slovakia agreed to the EFSF with certain reservations. He in turn criticised the former government for negotiating poor conditions for Slovakia.
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.
