Simecka: PS, SaS, KDH and Democrats Best Placed to Form Stable Government

Bratislava, 30 December (TASR) - A bloc of four parties — Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democratic Movement and the extra-parliamentary Democrats — has the best chance of forming a government that would remain stable, Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka has said in an interview with TASR. However, in Simecka's view any prospective government containing the 'Slovakia' party of Igor Matovic might not last. With just under two years to go until the next general election, Simecka therefore wants to use the remaining time to convince voters that this four-party grouping can form a stable government. He believes that a liberal and a Christian democratic party can serve together in a single cabinet. Progressive Slovakia will go into the election with its own programme and won't issue ultimatums to the Christian Democratic Movement or other parties on what they should or should not include in their platforms. "I want to use these nearly two years, together with our partners in the opposition, to persuade voters that this line-up — Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democratic Movement and Democrats — has a chance to form a stable government. I firmly believe that people will see this and give us their trust, and by then we must have done our homework, aligning our programmes and priorities," Simecka told TASR. "My only interest is that after we manage to outnumber this governing majority - and some polls already show that this is possible - the next government will last and not fall apart within a few months," he stressed, adding that if the next cabinet were to collapse like those of Iveta Radicova (2010-12) or Igor Matovic (2020-21), opposition voters would be disappointed. "And these three other parties are partners with whom I can imagine this. There's nothing personal in it, no conflict on my part, no antipathy towards colleagues from the 'Slovakia' party. That's simply how it is," emphasised Simecka. Although the Progressive Slovakia leader views the votes of several Christian Democratic Movement MPs in favour of the government's constitutional amendment as a certain blow, he stated that such wounds need to be "healed" through dialogue. That, in his view, is the path to an alternative to the current government. He recalled that shortly after the vote on the amendment, Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, the Christian Democratic Movement and Democrats managed to reach an agreement on seeking overlaps in individual policy areas. Progressive Slovakia will go into the election with a programme reflecting its liberal orientation and the value of equality. "And I assume that the Christian Democratic Movement will have a programme reflecting its conservative orientation. That's perfectly fine. What is important, and I don't think it should fail, is that after the elections, and even before them, we can discuss all issues with respect for one another and find some understanding," he said. Governing, according to Simecka, is also about parties not agreeing on everything. "But I am convinced, as has already been the case in Slovakia in the past and is common elsewhere in Europe, that Christian democrats and liberals can govern together," he added. "I won't tell the Christian Democratic Movement what it should or shouldn't have in its programme, nor any other party. And I would expect the same respect to be shown towards our party," said Simecka. mf/df