On Monday, President Peter Pellegrini has accommodated the request by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to withdraw the proposal to dismiss Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a SNS nominee) from his post.
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed in an interview with private broadcaster TA3 that he will meet President Peter Pellegrini on Monday and ask him to return the proposal to dismiss Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba. "If Mr. Danko and Mr. Taraba want to part ways, I demand, above all, that they put an end to this circus. Let them do so while providing guarantees that the government will continue. If they fail to provide guarantees and bring down the government, then there will be early parliamentary elections—but not because of me," Fico stated.
Reporters from Slovak Radio highlighted the following points from Tomáš Taraba’s statement: "I am ready to cooperate with the governing coalition on projects and laws for the benefit of Slovakia. I call on Andrej Danko to abandon senseless confrontation and instead pursue a policy of constructive dialogue for the benefit of the citizens."
The Slovak National Party (SNS) has rejected claims that it is responsible for the current tensions within the governing coalition, calling for existing agreements to be respected and its position within the coalition to be acknowledged. SNS leader Andrej Danko said on social media that the problems involving coalition MPs originated elsewhere. Andrej Danko: "So we’re the crazy ones if we vote to dismiss Taraba, but you won’t be crazy if you approve early elections together with the opposition? You don’t know how to treat coalition partners. Who would sit at the table with you when you destroy everything?"
The largest opposition party PS supports early elections and has called on both Robert Fico and the government to resign. Its leader, Michal Šimečka, confirmed on Tuesday, they would submit a motion in Parliament to move the vote on dismissing Tomáš Taraba to the agenda for immediate deliberation.
“It must be said unequivocally that this is his responsibility. It was people who pushed him into this situation through blackmail—because he allowed it to happen. There are 33 votes in favor of holding early elections as soon as possible. That is the only solution,” said Šimečka.
A constitutional majority—that is, 90 votes—is required to shorten the electoral term.
Source: STVR
