Coalition Smer-SD MPs on November 26 left the parliamentary session in which the vote of no-confidence on Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška was to be discussed. Smer-SD and coalition partner SNS had tried to prevent the session by not approving it, but it advanced because only two ĽS-HZDS MPs, Viliam Veteška and Tibor Mikuš, voted against it.
In his speech, Prime Minister Robert Fico praised Paška's contribution to inter-parliamentary relations, but Opposition parties strongly criticized the fact that the copy of the amendment to the act on social insurance that was published on the Slovak parliament's website on November 2 didn't include Iveta Radičová´s (SDKÚ-DS) amending proposal, which was contradicted the first proposal.
"The effort to change the approved version of an act is a precedent dating back to the creation of the Slovak Republic," said opposition KDH vice-chairman Daniel Lipšic.
Also at the session: Opposition SDKÚ-DS MP Stanislav Janis, who is SDKÚ-DS Caucus Chairman, accused Fico of cowardice in his answers during the Parliamentary Question Hour on November 22. Specifically, he said coalition MPs abuse the Parliamentary Code by addressing so many questions to Fico that they limit the time for Opposition questions.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
