PM Fico considers stripping a regional government of its powers

Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) conceded the possibility of stripping the Banská Bystrica regional government of decision-making powers in the drawing of EU funds and vests the powers in the town of Banská Bystrica. "We need to consider it thoroughly, because it's an unprecedented move that may spawn major tension. At any rate, we don't see a reason for the people of Banská Bystrica to suffer because somebody has been elected for their regional governor as an experiment," said PM Fico. He added that the governor, Marián Kotleba is idle on EU funds and that this central Slovak region has lost out on several million euro on the back of Kotleba's inaction. In addition, the region is running the risk of missing out on additional funds. According to Fico, Kotleba's lack of effort has cost the region tens of millions that could have been used for repairing roads or to help disabled children. Marián Kotleba is placed on the right-wing of the political spectrum. He was elected governor in late 2013 in a run-off against Fico's Smer-SD candidate Vladimír Maňka. Spokesman of the Banská Bystrica regional government called Fico's statement an inappropriate attack on a lawfully elected representative. He added that such a move would contravene the Constitution and the law, while also being discriminatory if undertaken only against one of Slovakia's eight regional governments. He also fired back by saying that €800,000 have been lost due to actions by former governor of the region Vladimir Maňka.