Rasi Also Sees Volvo's Investment as Argument for Changing Electoral System

Valaliky, 24 October (TASR) - The need for a change in the electoral system and greater representation of the regions in Parliament has been partly evidenced by the problems and mistakes that occurred in the process of preparing the investment of the Volvo car plant near Kosice by the state under the former government, said Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) on Friday following his visit to the Valaliky industrial park, which is currently under construction. The House chair pointed out that with the current single electoral district, it's theoretically possible that only MPs from Bratislava could be elected to Parliament. "That's why a change should be made so that each region, or perhaps even each district, can elect its own representatives who would be the ones to oversee such investments, because they really care about this," he said. Rasi stated that during the preparation of the Volvo investment, unrealistic deadlines in the investment contract were set, and the project's preparation and implementation were poorly managed, which was also noted by the Supreme Audit Office (NKU). Rasi also mentioned the fact that the project wasn't prepared for the high groundwater levels in the area, which required additional costs worth tens of millions of euros. "This is an excellent example of how Richard Sulik, as economy minister for SaS [Freedom and Solidarity], a Bratislava-based party, didn't make sure that an external company did everything it could so that the Volvo investment would be on time and would cost what it should have cost, so that it wouldn't be overpriced for the state," he said. Rasi was accompanied on the inspection day at the Valaliky Industrial Park by chairman of the parliamentary committee for economic affairs Robert Puci and MP Igor Simko (both Voice-SD). Rasi praised the new management of the state-owned Valaliky Industrial Park, saying that despite all the problems, they are carrying out everything. "There is also good coordination with the investor, with Volvo, and really, we've gone through the whole part that was in the hands and responsibility of the state," he said, adding that a 14-kilometre cycle path will circle the industrial park, big investments in roads are taking place, new railway stops are being built and there is a broad-gauge railway line nearby, which is of great importance in terms of Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. am/df