Simecka: PS Will Appeal to KDH and KU Not to Vote for Constitutional Amendment

Bratislava, 16 June (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party will continue to appeal to the opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) and the Christian Union (KU) until the last minute not to vote for the government's draft amendment to the Constitution along with the coalition, PS leader Michal Simecka told a news conference on Monday, claiming that the draft is dangerous for Slovakia. "We'll do so publicly, and we'll do so non-publicly, behind the scenes. This vote will be close, and I remain firmly convinced that this harmful and useless constitutional amendment won't be passed by Parliament," said Simecka. According to Simecka, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) wants to change the character of Slovakia and is speaking more intensely about the need for a change from a liberal pluralist democracy to the kind of regime seen in China, Vietnam or Uzbekistan. "The constitutional amendment that is before us today is part of this effort to change the character of our state, and I view that as extremely dangerous at this time," stated the PS leader. At the same time, he doesn't understand how MPs from Igor Matovic's caucus can want to vote for this proposal. MP Lucia Plavakova (PS) claimed that the real aim of the constitutional amendment is to remove Slovakia from the international system of human-rights protection. "In my opinion, we haven't faced such a serious interference in our democratic system before. Not even Vladimir Meciar dared to do so," she said, adding that all relevant authorities engaged in human-rights protection have opposed the amendment. ko/df