THE SLOVAK Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) has postponed its original plan to summon an extraordinary congress in June to September. The delegates were to discuss several issues, including changes in the party’s top posts. SDKÚ chairman Pavol Frešo has meanwhile said that he will not seek re-election if the congress does not approve his new vision for the party.
Meanwhile, Jozef Mikuš announced on June 19 that he is resigning from the post of SDKÚ deputy chair. The TASR newswire wrote that two other deputy chairs, Ivan Štefanec and Martin Fedor, are also considering leaving their posts.
“Due to the short time for preparation of the congress and the start of the [summer] holiday season, I summon the congress on September 27 in Senica,” said Frešo, as quoted by the SITA newswire.
About 350 delegates are expected to attend to discuss the party’s new programme and personnel changes. Part of the discussion will deal with changes to the party’s statutes, SITA wrote.
The congress was originally scheduled for June 28, and was to be summoned mostly due to disagreements over Frešo’s leadership. It is expected that the delegates may call for his dismissal.
Several members of the party disagreed with changing the date. Some say that Frešo does what he wants and does not lead the party as he is supposed to. Others consider it a tactical move and are afraid that this scenario may be repeated in September, as reported by TASR.
Frešo explained the reasons for postponing the congress in an email sent to his party colleagues. He wrote that the SDKÚ should prepare for a new situation. He also claimed he would not run for the post of party chairman if the delegates do not accept his new programme and personnel policy for the period until 2016, as reported by SITA.
The chairman also praised the European Parliament elections, saying that the party, under new leadership, defended the two posts it won in the 2009 vote.
“In competition with other centre-right parties we performed better than in the 2012 [parliamentary] elections and jumped over two opposition parties which were better than us in 2012,” Frešo said, as quoted by SITA.
He also pointed to the situation in the centre-right political scene, saying it is not very readable or simple. Instead of consolidation, fragmentation continues and is accompanied by the departure of politicians, he wrote, noting that the SDKÚ also lost some MPs recently.
