Danko: Opposition MPs Don't Go to Work, Then Expect Us to Supply Votes

Bratislava, 24 October (TASR) – Opposition members of Parliament are not attending work, fail to fulfil their duties, and then demand that the coalition help them make up the numbers, for example, to open a session on a minister's dismissal, parliamentary vice-chair and leader of the coalition junior Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko declared after a special emergency session on the proposal to dismiss Samuel Migal (independent) from the post of Minister of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization failed to open again on Friday morning. Parliament was not quorate, with only 43 MPs present. At least 76 lawmakers must attend, while the opposition has 71 in total. “If there were enough opposition MPs here, they would have the right to ask why we are not opening the session. Notice that they propose bills, do not come to work, fail to perform their duties, and then demand that we make up the numbers for them. The opposition's laziness is crying to heaven,” Danko declared. He also criticised them for their behaviour on Thursday evening (23 October), when they did not participate in the final vote on the amendment to the Gambling Act sponsored by the Minister of Tourism and Sport Rudolf Huliak (independent). The legal measure was not fully supported by the coalition either, as SNS MPs abstained from voting. “Even yesterday, if the opposition had been at work, the gambling bill would not have passed. It is nothing but their hypocrisy and laziness,” Danko said. At the same time, he confirmed that, under the coalition agreement, his party would not support opposition proposals. “The foundation and principle of the coalition agreement is that matters are agreed within the coalition. I know they would like us to argue about everything. I as well as SNS could not agree even yesterday with Huliak's proposal — you know very well that I have reservations about his deal with the Prime Minister. But there are certain principles and values of government functioning that cannot be violated,” Danko added. mf