Kratky Expelled from Caucus, Krajci Was Asked to Stay

Bratislava, 30 September (TASR) - MP Rastislav Kratky was expelled on Tuesday from the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union parliamentary caucus, according to 'Slovakia' leader Igor Matovic, who said he also proposed initiating the proceedings for Kratky's ouster from the 'Slovakia' party. According to Matovic, Kratky made no attempt at apology or self-reflection following last week's vote on the constitutional amendment. On the other hand, he indicated that MP Marek Krajci, who requested termination of membership in the caucus, will be given another chance. Matovic does not want the caucus to accept Krajci's offer to leave, as he admitted guilt and took responsibility for his actions. Commenting on Kratky, Matovic said that "I did not see any attempt at an apology, or any attempt at self-reflection, nor any remorse for deceiving the millions of people he promised in this very place that he would vote one way, and then did exactly the opposite." "I haven't registered any sense of guilt that when he changed his mind, he should have announced it to the people, and no one would have blamed anyone for it," said Matovic, adding that it would be a shame for this person to stay in the caucus or in the 'Slovakia' party. Richard Vasecka, a member of the caucus for the Christian Union (KU) party, did not support Kratky's ouster. "We do not consider Kratky's ouster and the calls on Krajci to leave the caucus to be appropriate. The constitutional amendment was also supported by KU members Anna Zaborska (in the first and second reading) and Vasecka," reads a statement received by TASR from the Christian Union, stating that the manner of communication regarding the vote shouldn't prevail over the conscience of MPs and their consent to the wording of the constitutional amendment. According to Matovic, Krajci had a completely different approach. "It was humility, abashment, acknowledgment of guilt, and effort to take responsibility," Matovic said, reiterating that he did not ask either MP to give up their mandate, although he would have done so, if he were them. He suggested that Krajci's offer to leave the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union caucus should not be accepted. "We consider his words to be sincere and truthful, and as he said, he wants to make amends through his actions and earn back the trust of people," said Matovic, adding that they want to give Krajci a chance without him becoming an independent MP. Krajci announced Earlier on Tuesday that he would request the termination of his membership in the caucus, as well as in the 'Slovakia' party. He and MP Rastislav Kratky ('Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union) voted in favour of the government's amendment to the Slovak Constitution last week on Friday {26 September), even though they previously stated that they would not do so. On the other hand, Vasecka had previously announced that he would support the amendment in the final vote, because the priorities of the Christian Democrats (KDH) and KU have been incorporated in the proposal. jrg