PS and KDH: Session of House Committee in Gelnica a Legitimate Right (2)

Bratislava, 1 August (TASR) – Opposition parties Progressive Slovakia (PS) and Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) consider the upcoming away-from-home session of the House Committee for Public Administration and Regional Development in the town of Gelnica (Kosice region) a legitimate right and claim that state assistance following the early July windstorm in the Gelnica district came too late. Their comments came in response to statements made by Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) and Deputy Interior Minister Michal Kalinak during a press conference on Friday. „If minister Sutaj Estok stands by his work in Gelnica and the surrounding area, there is no reason to attack PS over our oversight initiative, which is a legitimate right of the opposition. One has to wonder whether the minister and the deputy minister would have held today’s press conference on aid to the affected region if we hadn’t announced yesterday’s emergency special away-from-home session," said committee member Marek Lackovic (PS). KDH chair Milan Majersky emphasised that convening the committee in Gelnica is a form of parliamentary oversight. „We are inviting representatives of affected municipalities, local governments and mayors – those directly impacted. We want to hear how the state responded after the storm. We want to identify what could be improved. If the government claims it acted correctly, the committee is the best place to prove it," he added. Representatives of the opposition parties noted that the committee is not a battleground between opposition and coalition, and coalition MPs are welcome to attend. Committee member Jana Hanuliakova (PS) said the public would be immediately informed of the findings. „This will allow people to compare official statements from the Interior Ministry with what locals are actually saying. Based on our findings, we will also consider next steps," she concluded. The away-from-home session in Gelnica, scheduled for Wednesday (6 August), was initiated by PS, KDH, and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS). Minister Sutaj Estok has repeatedly rejected criticism of the government’s response, calling the decision to convene the committee on the issue “absurd.” On Friday, he announced that almost €400,000 for emergency relief work had already been sent to 16 municipalities affected by the storm, stating the funds should reach local accounts the same day. Eastern Slovakia was hit by strong winds and heavy rain in early July, causing significant damage to property, infrastructure, and transport networks. A state of emergency was declared in dozens of towns, including the entire Gelnica district. mf/mcs