Huliak to Discuss Support for Gambling Act with SNS

Bratislava, 24 November (TASR) - Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (Independent) told journalists following the coalition council meeting in Parliament on Monday that he'll negotiate with Slovak National Party (SNS) MPs to secure support for the vetoed amendment to the Gambling Act, adding that he believes Voice-SD MPs will vote in favour. "They said they have no problem with it. They voted once, they will vote again, and all that remains is for me to work on the gentlemen from SNS," stated Huliak, who thinks that Parliament can override President Peter Pellegrini's veto. SNS caucus head Roman Michelko responded by saying that the SNS MPs don't intend to change their minds, as "the reasons why we didn't vote haven't changed". Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) said that that discussion is necessary, emphasising that "politics is always about the art of consensus, while the rough edges of the bill must be gradually smoothed out". According to him, some kind of general support for the amendment to the Gambling Act cannot be ruled out. Huliak also criticised the amendment to the Environmental Fund Act and is preparing an amending proposal to prevent a situation in which "a single person" would decide on €2 billion in a non-transparent manner. He believes that the fund shouldn't be controlled by the ministry, as it is "supposed to be controlled by the people who contribute the financial resources to it". Parliament is scheduled to discuss the amendment via a fast-tracked legislative procedure. Under the amendment to the Gambling Act, national lottery company Tipos, which falls under the ministry, would have been able, among other things, to take over valid licences from casino operators and continue to operate them. A total of 71 of the 78 legislators present voted in favour of the proposal, but at least 76 votes will be needed to override the presidential veto. The president said that he didn't sign the amendment because he considers it to be unacceptable interference in the constitutional right to territorial self-government, the autonomy of municipalities, towns and their exercise of public authority. jrg/df