Prime Minister Robert Fico views the approval of the constitutional amendment as a historic opportunity. He warns that if the proposal is not passed, Slovakia could be closing the door for a long time on the chance to redefine fundamental values in the Constitution.
While opinions on the constitutional change vary within the opposition, when it comes to the recently approved resolution on anti-Russian sanctions, opposition MPs are calling it a "national disgrace." In contrast, the Prime Minister considers the resolution a strong political tool.
According to Fico, the effort to amend the Constitution should not be subject to criticism. He claims that defining two sexes—male and female—is fully in line with the foundational treaties of the European Union. "Because the basic treaties state that in matters of national identity, domestic law may take precedence over international law," he added.
However, he expects the vote to be very close. According to SaS leader Branislav Gröhling, the Prime Minister picks and chooses what suits him: "He behaves just like before—capable of shaking hands with Vladimir Putin, an aggressor, and immediately afterward heading to Brussels to ask for financial support under the pretence of crisis management."
Chairman of the junior coalition party SNS, Andrej Danko, insists that the Prime Minister is bound by the resolution. Fico sees the parliament’s approval of the resolution as a response to the President’s decision not to call a referendum.
He also stated that the government will not support an emergency parliamentary session regarding changes to the transaction tax. He anticipates that the amendment will be discussed at the next parliamentary session in September.
Source: STVR
