Motion to oust Parliament Vice-chair to be filed

A group of coalition lawmakers led by MP Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) will file a proposal on Thursday (September 5) to oust  Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka from the post of the House Vice-chair, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

Fico has repeatedly criticised Simecka over the fact that foundations linked to his relatives, such as Simecka's uncle, mother and partner, have received subsidies from the state. In this context, Fico also stated that an audit launched by the Justice Ministry confirmed violations of the law regarding subsidies in the field of human rights.

The special session of the House will need to be convened within seven days from the motion being filed. Smer and SNS support the motion although the Prime Minister did not reveal or comment on the stance of the coalition's Hlas-SD party.

Fico also blames Simecka for misusing public protests to stir up enmity against the Justice Minister and the Culture Minister, who are in charge of government portfolios in which Simecka's family is "losing its financing“.

At a press conference, Simecka responded to Fico’s claims. "Our country is facing enormous problems and instead he dedicated a few press conferences to talk about subsidies and dance ensembles, it's crazy," adding that instead of addressing the safety of children or protests by police officers, Fico calls press conferences where he attacks Simecka’s family and devotes himself to NGOs. Simecka described this as a desperate performance by an embittered man.

Simecka added that PS has never been in the government and therefore never had any influence on the redistribution of subsidies. "All the civic associations, foundations that Robert Fico is now attacking receive support, grants not only from Slovakia, but also from the EU or private sources," he said, adding that the organisations have been receiving support for a long time, long before he was in politics. He pointed out that they also received subsidies during the Smer-SD governments because they are successful projects.

The Prime Minister rejected opposition claims that his own family benefits from state subsidies and finds the attack against his wife ridiculous, seeing, as she was responsible for a project of the Judicial Academy. Fico also responded to the statement of MP Martina Holeckova (KDH) that a firm called Agentura Smer, s.r.o., in which his son serves as an executive, received a subsidy from the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Job Centre this year. "Smer-SD has its own agency called Agentura Smer. It has been applying for subsidies on the so-called 'protected workplace' with relevant authorities since 2013," said Fico and added that anyone who employs a person with a health disability is free to apply for the state subsidies.

Fico also rejected Simecka's claim that Fico's cousin Rastislav Rybansky received more than one million euros worth of subsidies in 2009 to restore Topolcany Castle. "The castle belongs to a specific village, hence it was the village that has renovated its property," he said.

Source: TASR