Monitor: Sutaj Estok Wants Mutual Respect between Coalition Partners

(JOJ 24,'Politika 24', 11 January) Speaking on JOJ 24's discussion programme 'Politika 24' (Politics 24) on Sunday, Interior Minister and leader of the coalition Voice-SD party Matus Sutaj Estok stated that he wants all three coalition partners to treat each other in such a way to show mutual respect and to be able to address important issues. "Just as the three most senior constitutional officials demonstrated yesterday [Saturday, 10 January]," he noted, adding that this is what society as a whole expects from the government. "It was a meeting that showed what people expect from us, what society as a whole expects, that politicians will seek consensus, that they will seek reconciliation. The three highest constitutional officials also showed that people don't expect us to argue even within the coalition," said the Voice leader, commenting on the joint luncheon of the three most senior constitutional officials on Saturday. The Voice-SD leader believes that chairman of the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko often raises issues that Sutaj Estok considers to be irrelevant. "I have absolutely no reason to respond to this," he said, adding that the coalition partners should address any differences of opinion or issues behind closed doors. Sutaj Estok went on to say that he discussed with Prime Minister and Smer-SD leader Robert Fico his actions related to dismissing former vice-premier for the recovery plan and a knowledge-based economy Peter Kmec (Voice-SD). According to him, Fico admitted that he acted too quickly and acknowledged his mistake. "I accepted this apology, I respect it, and I believe that such things won't happen again in the future," he added. am