MP Jan Ferencak Quits Voice-SD Parliamentary Caucus But Remains in Party

Bratislava, 11 December (TASR) - I'm leaving the Voice-SD parliamentary caucus, MP Jan Ferencak announced at a briefing on Thursday after the House dismissed him from the post of parliamentary European affairs committee chair at the request of Voice-SD MPs, reiterating that he'll remain in the party for the time being. Ferencak explained that he can't remain in an environment in which criticism leads to persecution. He also called on Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok to convene a meeting at which members would assess his performance as chairman. "Following the events in Parliament and based on my convictions, I'm quitting the Voice-SD parliamentary caucus. My political engagement has always been based on clear pillars, which I brought with me when I entered public life and which I helped to establish. These pillars include a deep pro-European orientation, emphatic decency, transparency, and, above all, service to the public, not power interests. I feel that the path that the Voice parliamentary caucus has been taking recently is becoming increasingly distant from these fundamental values," he stated. MPs on Thursday dismissed Ferencak from the post of parliamentary committee for European affairs chair. The motion for his dismissal was submitted by Voice-SD MPs. They announced that they want to replace Ferencak with Peter Kmec (Voice-SD), who entered Parliament following his resignation from the post of vice-premier for the recovery plan and a knowledge-based economy. am/df