Extending the state of emergency meets with criticism

The Government on Wednesday decided that Slovakia would be in a state of emergency until the end of the year. The government's decision has seen a backlash of criticism, even from its coalition partners. Economy Minister Richard Sulík (Freedom and Solidarity) thinks that the Government has not kept its promises to ease measures after countrywide testing. He neither likes the proposed community testing strategies (i.e. restaurants, fitness centres, churches, schools and other businesses should organise round(s) of mass testing on their own premises, which in turn would grant them permission to open under specific conditions). In reaction to the criticism, the PM Igor Matovič called on Sulík to propose a way of reducing the number of infected people and keeping the number of new cases per day below 500 while leaving everything open. According to the former premier and opposition party SMER-SD leader Robert Fico, the Government presented no good reason to extend the state of emergency. Meanwhile, Smer wants to initiate a parliamentary session with a no-confidence vote in the Government on the agenda. The party also plans to collect the signatures needed to organise a referendum on a snap general election. A turnout of at least 50 percent is necessary for a referendum to be valid in Slovakia.