Prime Minister and Smer party leader Robert Fico will attempt to use the time remaining until June 23 to form a new government, Fico’s spokesperson Silvia Glendová told the TASR newswire on Wednesday, June 16.
"The Premier and Smer-SD chairman holds a mandate from President Ivan Gašparovič to form a government by next Wednesday (June 23), and this still stands," said Glendová. Gašparovič authorised Fico to do so based on the June 12 parliamentary election results, in which Smer came first, winning 34.79 of the votes.
The president has said that it would be unfair not to give the “election winner” the mandate. He has also argued that it would be inappropriate of Fico not to accept such a mandate. This is despite widespread acknowledgement that Fico has little chance of forming a new government, since party leaders controlling a majority of seat in the new parliament have said they will not deal with him and have already reached an agreement in principle among themselves to work together.
When asked whether the current government will convene a session before it is replaced, Glendová replied that the government would convene a session whenever it is necessary.
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.
