Incoming 'Slovakia' MP Dusenka Will Not Support Amendment to Constitution

Bratislava, 8 September (TASR) - Incoming MP Igor Dusenka, who will be joining the parliamentary caucus of the 'Slovakia' party, For the People and Christian Union (KU), told a press conference on Monday that he won't vote in favour of the government's amendment to the Slovak Constitution. Dusenka is expected to take his oath at the upcoming House session starting on 9 September as the replacement for the seat vacated by the death of MP Anna Zaborska, who supported the amendment at its first reading. Dusenka believes that he'll be a worthy successor to Zaborska, whose "values and tenacity are worth following, but unfortunately, not when it comes to the issue of supporting the amendment to the Constitution." He agrees with the position of other MPs from the 'Slovakia' movement, who won't support the amendment as it was drafted by the government, either. Former prime minister and leader of the 'Slovakia' party Igor Matovic said that if the coalition Smer-SD party had allowed the Christian Democrats (KDH) to push through these constitutional changes, his party would probably have supported them, but Smer-SD only wants to curry favour with Christian and conservative voters. During the first reading in the spring, the government's constitutional amendment was supported by Zaborska and Richard Vasecka, who is also a member of the 'Slovakia', For the People and KU parliamentary caucus. However, the amendment wasn't voted on before the House's summer break, and the final vote is expected to take place during the session in September. The amendment is aimed at enshrining only two genders — man and woman - in the Constitution, while also guaranteeing gender equality in payment for work. In addition, the proposal seeks to achieve sovereignty for Slovakia regarding culture- and ethics-based values. KDH has already drawn up its own amendment to the Constitution, but it failed to win a sufficient number of votes at the first reading. jrg/df