According to them, the premier is failing in governance. They pointed to problems in the health-care sector, rising prices, and most recently, issues at the land registry office. At the same time, they spoke about attempts to question Slovakia's foreign-political orientation. They don't want to let the premier "abduct" Slovakia eastwards, as they believe he has no mandate to do so.
Opposition leaders stressed that despite the many differences between them, they've managed to unite for a proposal via which they are seeking the government's fall. "When it comes to democracy, freedom and the European identity of our homeland, we'll defend them together. We'll never allow Premier Robert Fico to abduct Slovakia to somewhere in Moscow. He has no mandate to do so, and it's against the interests of the citizens of Slovakia," reads their joint statement. According to them, Fico is failing in governance, with individual sectors falling apart one by one.
Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) proposes having the special emergency session of Parliament on the ouster of his government on Tuesday, January 21, and promised to attend the session, while recommending lawmakers of the governing coalition to make Parliament quorate for the vote.
"As one famous Marshal said before a military battle: this is going to get messy," added Fico.
Smer-SD as a party called the decision to initiate a no-confidence motion in the government a legitimate right of the opposition, which it fully respects. "Not only Smer-SD party, but the entire coalition stands behind the Prime Minister," it added.
President Peter Pellegrini finds the move to submit a no-confidence motion in the government by the opposition legitimate, although he doesn't expect the opposition to accomplish the ouster successfully at an upcoming special emergency House session.
PS leader Michal Simecka stated that prices and taxes have been increasing since the new year, more and more people in Slovakia are suffering from economic poverty, and now the land registry office has come into the equation. "We still have no guarantee that the state has every piece of data under control, we don't know when they will be restored. The real estate and mortgage markets are at a standstill, people can't sell or buy real estate, while the premier is writing open letters and flying around the world," he said.
"I think this is a big signal that when Slovakia is at stake, we are able find common ground, we are able to unite, and we are able act together," stated SaS chief Branislav Groehling. He pointed out that partners in neighbouring countries are turning their backs on Slovakia, while the government is wrecking the country's economic boom.
According to KDH chairman Milan Majersky, there are universal values that unite the opposition. "We are standing here as the entire opposition and we want to say clearly and distinctly that Robert Fico's government is harming the citizens of Slovakia," he said. He pointed to the "messy" consolidation of public finances, depriving ordinary families of money, while the premier is seeking help from totalitarian regimes.
'Slovakia', 'Za ludi' and KU caucus head Michal Sipos stated that Slovakia is collapsing. "We are finally together, we are united, and we are going to seek Robert Fico's dismissal," he said.
Independent MPs Lubomir Galko and Martina Bajo Holeckova have also signed up to the proposal.
Source: TASR
