The presidium of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) opposition party decided on Wednesday, January 30, to dissolve its Nitra district association, which is headed by Ondrej Ščurka, who played a leading role in a scandal surrounding the rental of premises by the Tax Directorate in Košice during the previous government.
According to SDKÚ chairman Pavol Frešo, the decision was unanimous, and was motivated by an accumulation of problems within the association and the poor results of the SDKÚ in the district over a long period. "I'm suggesting very subtly that this decision was also motivated by [Ščurka's] political responsibility in the case of Tax Directorate," Frešo said. The district association in Nitra will be built afresh, and all members will have to ask for new registration if they want to remain in the party.
"I want everybody to learn the reasons for the [nullification of their membership], so that everybody can consider whether they want to remain in the SDKÚ, and the presidium will subsequently make a decision [on their membership]," said Frešo.
Ščurka became known for providing offices for rent to the Tax Directorate under suspicious circumstances during the 2010-12 centre-right coalition government. Then-premier Iveta Radičová at first conceded that party cronyism may have been involved, but then-finance minister Ivan Mikloš (now an SDKÚ MP) backed Ščurka strongly.
The decision of the presidium is scandalous, Ščurka told the TASR newswire later in the day. "Nobody has pointed to any serious problems, shortcomings or conflicts with the statutes of the party. I was only advised by MP Štefan Kuzma to leave the party – or, he said, the local association would be dissolved. He wasn't even able to cite a single reason why I should resign," Ščurka said.
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.
