The new programme of the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) party will not, after all, contain a proposal by caucus leader Ľudovít Kaník to introduce a 0.1-percent tax on every cashless transaction, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, November 9.
The proposal caused a wave of protest within the party. Among the critics were former finance minister Ivan Mikloš and party vice-chairs Lucia Žitňanská and Ivan Štefanec. The director of the party's economic section, Tomáš Meravý, went as far as to suggest that the entire party leadership should resign, adding that SDKÚ should not be run by "thickheads and crooks" who produce such "bullshit". Meravý was subsequently dismissed from all his party posts.
Kaník on Thursday (after withdrawing the proposal) told TASR that this is obviously not the right time to introduce such measures. "I'll certainly continue dealing with the issue," he said, adding that he only regrets that he was not radical enough in drawing up the proposal.
However, Kaník argued in comments to the Sme daily that his proposal was meant just to prompt internal party debate, and was expected to be modified and re-worded afterwards.
Sources: TASR, Sme
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
