SNS Urges President to Allow Ministers on Board his Aircraft

Bratislava, 23 September (TASR) – The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) is calling on President Peter Pellegrini not to refuse to take government ministers on board the official government aircraft with him during his foreign trips following controversy surrounding Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova's (SNS nominee) recent trip to the United States, TASR learnt from a post by SNS on social media on Tuesday. SNS leader Andrej Danko told journalists in Parliament that criticism directed at Simkovicova over her participation in the trip was unfair. "Ministers should have the right, especially during a period of fiscal consolidation, to travel with the president and save public funds instead of being forced to purchase expensive commercial tickets," he stated. According to Danko, the situation surrounding Simkovicova's trip arose because the president "refuses to allow ministers of the Slovak government on board his aircraft." He expressed regret over what he described as an attack on the culture minister, whom he said was "innocent and defenceless" in the matter. Minister Simkovicova wrote on social media that she took part in the 47th Slovak Heritage Festival in New Jersey on Sunday (21 September), which was also attended by President Pellegrini as part of his official visit to the United States. Last Friday (19 September), the Stop Corruption Foundation reported via social media that the Culture Ministry had booked flights to New York for Minister Simkovicova and the ministry's head of communications, Petra Demkova. According to the foundation, the tickets cost the ministry nearly €16,000. mf/df