'Slovakia' Party Won't Take Part in Round-table Debate on Defence Spending Hike

Bratislava, 17 June (TASR) - The 'Slovakia' party supports increasing defence spending, but it rejects the notion that Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) should be entrusted with it, party leader Igor Matovic told a news conference held on Tuesday with MPs Roman Mikulec and Gabor Grendel ('Slovakia', 'For the People' and the Christian Union/KU) in attendance. The 'Slovakia' party won't take part in the round-table debate on defence spending, as its representatives haven't received an invitation to it from President Peter Pellegrini. "Pellegrini isn't playing an honest game, as first he says somewhere on behalf of Slovakia that 'yes, we'll give 5 percent [of GDP] to defence spending', but then he suddenly convenes a round-table discussion on it. Shouldn't it have been the other way around?" asked Matovic. He sees the biggest problem with increasing defence spending in the fact that Kalinak would be the administrator of the defence treasury. Matovic believes that it would only mean more business for the defence minister's friends. Grendel stated that the issue of increasing defence spending is unpopular among voters, and that's why the president is organising a joint round-table discussion - to drag the opposition into it. However, the opposition has no influence over increasing defence spending, he said. Meanwhile, Mikulec pointed out that the Defence Ministry currently exports more rounds and ammunition to Ukraine than the previous government did. ko/df