Rocky start: opposition parties fail to reach an agreement

Opposition parties Most-Hid, the Christian Democrats (KDH) and Sieť (Network) on Tuesday failed to reach an agreement of cooperation ahead of the March 2016 general election, and announced the separate mobilisation of voters. Most-Hid chairman Béla Bugár and KDH head Jan Figeľ admitted that they had expected more from the talks. "We're concerned with seeing cooperation of the three parties that could provide the basis for a future stable government and would also motivate voters to go to the polls... Our alternative hasn't gone through due to [Sieť leader Radoslav] Procházka, who has his own vision", said Bugár. Figeľ was unwilling to disclose the stumbling block of the talks. "I had expected more from the meeting, but this hasn't changed anything on the determination of KDH and its affiliated parties to achieve political change in Slovakia. We're preordained for such cooperation", said Figeľ, adding that a further similar meeting isn't planned anytime soon. Meanwhile, Procházka described the meeting as meaningful and constructive. "The goal wasn't to reach an agreement, but talk about our attitudes tete-a-tete... Our goal is to have a united command [for the Right], with a united programme and clear drive", said Procházka, who was first elected to Parliament in 2010 and re-elected in 2012 as a member of KDH but left to become independent and run for president in 2014.