The caretaker government must present a programme to the National Council of the Slovak Republic within 30 days of its appointment and ask the parliament for a vote of confidence. The Cabinet of Experts, led by Prime Minister Ľudovít Ódor, has until around mid-June. On Monday, the Prime Minister began a series of meetings with the leaders of the political parties represented in parliament. Ódor has already announced that the government programme will be prepared by individual ministers. He added that they should work out basic short-term priorities as well as some long-term ones. Hlas-SD leader Peter Pellegrini stated after the meeting that he and the MPs centered around him won't express their confidence in the caretaker government in Parliament. He added, however, that they will support government measures concerning the drawing of EU funds and the economy.
The ex-prime minister welcomed Odor's ambition to report on the current state of Slovakia and at the same time to prepare conceptual materials that will serve as a basis for the next government. According to Pellegrini, Odor wants to draw up a realistic budget that will include a list of measures addressing both revenues and expenditures. Smer-SD leader Robert Fico also stated that his party won't express its confidence in the caretaker cabinet in Parliament. Fico claimed that Smer would support the caretaker government's manifesto only if it summarised "the disastrous state of the country" and "everything bad the previous government committed". According to Fico, the caretaker government should have three priorities, namely the drawing of EU funds, the situation in the health-care system and budget.
Progressive Slovakia (PS) chairman Michal Simecka thinks that every politician who cares about Slovakia going peacefully into the election should be interested in expressing confidence in the caretaker government. "When a political government has failed, and we want a caretaker government to lead Slovakia into the upcoming election calmly, in my opinion it's very important symbolically and politically for Parliament to express its confidence in the cabinet," stressed Simecka after a meeting with Prime Minister Ludovit Odor on Tuesday. He also confirmed that MP Tomas Valasek will vote for the expression of confidence. According to Simecka, whether the cabinet will finally receive such support is an open question. Even if that doesn't happen, nothing dramatic will follow in his opinion. Meanwhile, Odor is expected to meet other leaders of political parties during this week.
Source: TASR
