Remisova: New Proposals Favour Parties Capable of "Earning Money with Own Head"

Bratislava, May 22 (TASR) - The proposals by Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) regarding the adjustment of state contributions and the increase of election deposits favor parties that can “earn money with their own head” [a reference to an alleged funding scandal involving Smer-SD -ed.note] or obtain funds by questionable means, oppositions's MP Veronika Remisova (Slovakia-For the People-KU alliance) declared on Thursday. MP Gabor Grendel (Slovakia-For the People-KU alliance) believes that, from the coalition's point of view, this is about saving money at the expense of everyone else, except themselves. „Ever since the first wave of consolidation, we've been saying that politicians and political parties should also contribute. (...) Whenever we voted in parliament on a proposal aimed at involving politicians and political parties in the consolidation, the Voice party never supported such proposals,” Grendel remarked. According to him, Sutaj Estok’s proposal that only parties receiving at least five percent of the vote should get state funding would spell the end for the ethnic Hungarian party Alliance, which has not reached the five-percent threshold in several elections. Remisova argues that the minister does not propose anything that would affect his own comfort or luxury. “He proposed something that will affect the next Parliament,” she noted. She added that Sutaj Estok should make savings by canceling dubious tenders at the Interior Ministry, cutting back on his own spending, and lowering his own salary. Remisova does not consider the proposal to raise the election deposit a well-intentioned idea to improve the political environment, but rather a way to eliminate political competition. In her view, any other government would begin consolidation by saving on itself and then on the public, but this government does the opposite and saves only on the people. mf