Smer-SD leader and former prime minister Robert Fico has announced that he won't run as a candidate for the Constitutional Court in the next election round in Parliament. Even if the vote were to be held by secret ballot, he said, he doesn't want to raise further suspicions that he intends to unduly exercise his influence. Addressing fears that Smer-SD is attempting to delay the vote until a more favourable president takes office in June, Fico also stated that the party is willing to elect candidates during the session that is due to start on 26th March. It is the president's duty to choose nine candidates for the court, out of the 18 candidates to be elected by Parliament. Fico also said there were no political agreements during the previous vote, and that his party voted as it did - by submitting blank ballots - simply to protest against the public vote.
"We welcome the attitudes of our coalition partners the Slovak National Party (SNS) and Most-Hid, which have publicly stated that they are also ready to talk about voting by secret ballot," he said.
Fico denies the alleged splits in his party. "Absolutely nothing is going on. Smer will commemorate the 20th anniversary of its establishment this year and we're going to win the general elections," stated Fico. When asked whether he would lead the party's slate he answered that he is the head of the party and has the highest ambitions. He didn't exclude that in twelve years he could run as a candidate for the Constitutional Court again.
