Drucker: Voice-SD Not the Party to Topple This Government

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', 23 November) The coalition Voice-SD party won't topple the government, although it views the way in which Vice-premier for Recovery Plan and Knowledge-based Economy Peter Kmec (Voice-SD) was dismissed as violation of the coalition agreement, Voice-SD vice-chair and Education Minister Tomas Drucker said on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday. "Voice-SD isn't the party to bring down this government. We'll strictly adhere to the government manifesto, we will always stand up for things that help people, but we will no longer behave as a servile and good partner," stated Drucker. In line with the valid coalition agreement, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) was supposed to first discuss Kmec's dismissal with Voice-SD chairman and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok and only then make it public, stated Drucker. Moreover, the premier knew that Kmec was planning to resign due to criticism of the controversial evaluation of research and development calls, he added. Drucker, who is currently in charge of managing the vice-premier's office, didn't rule out possible errors in the evaluation of calls and assured the public that ethical issues concerning the allocation of money to companies with ties to political parties will be examined. Opposition MP Jan Hargas (Progressive Slovakia/PS), also on the show, expects "Voice-SD to start doing what it preaches". Hargas said that PS filed a criminal complaint over the suspicion of manipulation in the evaluation of calls. He also sees the problem in the fact that contracts with evaluators were signed only after the results of the calls were delivered. He would only view the evaluation as transparent if the calls were evaluated by foreign experts. ko