Monitor: Danko Thinks President Should Be Elected by Parliament

Speaking on JOJ 24's discussion programme 'Politika 24' (Politics 24) on Sunday, junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Andrej Danko said the presidential election should return to the hands of Parliament, as the existing model creates tension in society. He also spoke about the situation in the coalition, fearing that it could lead to a discussion about options for combining the parliamentary elections with the municipal elections slated for next year. In this context, he pointed to the escalating tension between the coalition parties Voice-SD and Smer-SD. "Thinking that [Prime Minister and Smer-SD leader] Robert Fico has forgiven [President] Peter Pellegrini for betraying him would be naive. When the government was being formed, I felt the tension between Voice and Smer. Today, Fico feels that Voice isn't fulfilling the duties in its ministries, and various scandals are emerging," Danko stated. He repeatedly criticised several moves taken by Pellegrini. He regrets that the head of state isn't siding with the coalition because, according to Danko, Pellegrini wouldn't be president without the coalition's support. Danko also reproached the president for vetoing the law on the transformation of the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) into a new office. "For me, an enemy like Korcok would be more easily acceptable in the Presidential Palace than a person who pretends to be our friend and stabs us in the back," stated Danko. [Ivan Korcok, former foreign minister and diplomat, lost to Pellegrini in the presidential election last year - ed. note]. Danko also commented on this week's developments in Parliament during the vote on the Penal Code amendment and the debate on the vetoed law on UOO's transformation. He believes that Pellegrini added fuel to the flames by returning the law to Parliament. Danko criticised the behaviour of opposition MPs, but he also apologised to the public for the reactions of some coalition MPs. "The atmosphere was crazy. If I were the parliamentary speaker, I wouldn't allow that vote, I would have stopped it," added Danko. In this context, he called for changes to the parliamentary rules of procedure, hoping that an amendment could be addressed at the start of the next session, which is due to begin on January 27. Danko welcomed statements by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) that payroll taxes could be reduced next year for certain categories of employees. According to Danko, this suggestion has been raised by SNS and he is glad that the prime minister listened to it. Danko also announced that he would propose extending the recreational vouchers to smaller companies next year. jrg