The main governing party Smer-SD is not for single-use only, as has been evident from the fact that it has managed to overcome many crises and come back on the scene, former prime minister and party chairman Robert Fico said at a Smer-SD working congress on Thursday evening. Fico in his speech repeatedly lambasted the media, Opposition, civic activists and President Andrej Kiska. "We'll fight to push through our social views. We won't allow any amateurs with their naive notions of economics to endanger the social standing of the public. We're ready with our social policies to fight once more for life and decent prospects for Slovak people," said Fico. The former three-time prime minister recalled several measures introduced by his governments, including increases in the minimum wage and free rail travel for students and pensioners, as well as achievements in notably reducing unemployment (currently standing at 5.55 percent). Commenting on his resignation as prime minister after public protests following the murders of journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend Martina Kušnírová, Fico said that it was not a display of weakness, but rather responsibility towards its fellow-coalition party Most-Híd. It was considering leaving the Government, a move that would have resulted in an early general election and chaos orchestrated by Opposition leaders Richard Sulík (SaS), Igor Matovič (OLaNO) and Boris Kollár (We Are Family), said Fico, who was immediately rewarded with applause.
According to Fico, the Coalition Council meetings will also be attended by his successor in this post, Peter Pellegrini. Originally, these sessions were set to feature only the chairs of the three governing parties, Smer-SD, Slovak National Party (SNS) and Most-Híd. Clearing up a debate on whether he would remain in Parliament as an MP, Fico said that he wanted to assume "more responsibility in the House and coordinate the caucus to a larger extent ... to make it more dynamic." Meanwhile, Fico announced that Smer had suspended the party membership of former MP Ľubica Rošková, who has been facing accusations of serious irregularities concerning the drawing of farming subsidies. The main governing party Smer-SD at a congress in western Slovakia on Thursday evening changed its statutes to narrow its presidium to 15 members.
