THE PARTY of European Socialists (PES) will insist that the membership of Slovakia’s governmental Smer party be suspended at its October 12 congress, according to Jan Marinus Wiersma, a Dutch MEP and a backer of the proposal to cast Smer out.
"Smer is still connected with the [far-right] Slovak National Party [in a coalition government], and we therefore insist that they be suspended," Wiersma said.
Smer is unlikely to give up its coalition cooperation with the Slovak National Party (SNS) to prevent banishment from the PES.
Smer MP Boris Zala said that the European socialists should not comment on the internal affairs of the Smer party, and that even if the PES suspends Smer's membership, it will not have any practical impact, the Sme daily wrote.
