PS Urges Voice-SD to Prioritize Local Governance Reform

Bratislava, 27 October (TASR) – Local governance reform must be a priority for any responsible cabinet and if Voice–SD were truly a party of the regions, it would be pushing for solutions to the pressing problems faced by local administrations, such as the enormous rise in petty crime, MP Jana Hanuliakova (Progressive Slovakia/PS) stated on Monday. The lawmaker said this in response to Monday's press conference held by House Chair Richard Rasi and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (both Voice-SD) during the congress of the Interior Ministry with local leaders on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the re-establishment of local self-government in Slovakia. “We see the press conference of the Interior Minister and the House Chair merely as a continuation of their politics based on a maximum of words and a minimum of action. If they truly want to help towns, villages and their residents, they should roll up their sleeves and start working,” Hanuliakova warned. She added that if the government genuinely wishes to support local authorities, it should not promote gambling, which, according to her, destroys families and is rejected by local administrations themselves. Earlier in the day at the congress, Rasi had claimed that Slovakia is in for a major reform of local governance, which must be built from the bottom up. The Association of Slovak Towns and Villages (ZMOS), the Union of Slovak Cities (UMS) and the Association of Self-Governing Regions of Slovakia (SK8) are expected in the coming weeks to present their first proposal for the modernisation and future of local governance. The Interior Ministry also plans to include a new Road Traffic Act on the agenda of this week's government meeting. The bill is designed to allow local authorities to use stationary speed cameras within the framework of objective liability. mf