KDH Urges President to Demand End to 'Legislative Chaos' at Meeting with Rasi

Bratislava, 13 March (TASR) - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) expect President Peter Pellegrini not to limit himself to general phrases and platitudes about political culture at his meeting with House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) on Monday (16 March). KDH pointed out that it called on the president to convene a meeting of the three top constitutional officials in a letter at the end of February, TASR was told by the KDH press department on Friday. "The Christian Democrats warn that a dysfunctional Parliament isn't just a theoretical political problem but one that directly affects people's wallets. While the coalition is dealing with power struggles and setting aside opposition bills, the government consolidation crisis isn't being addressed and people's real salaries are shrinking. KDH will therefore closely monitor the results of Monday's meeting and continue to exert strong pressure for the state to return within the bounds of law and order," said the party. According to KDH, the president must demand that Rasi should put an end to the "legislative chaos" within which the coalition "approves its own legal impunity in fast-track proceedings within a few hours" while sidelining opposition proposals. KDH called on President Pellegrini in the aforementioned letter to actively exercise presidential powers to protect constitutionality and parliamentary democracy. It asked him to convene a meeting of the three top constitutional officials with the aim of restoring the functioning of the state and addressing people's real problems. At the same time, it wanted him to urge the government to fulfil its constitutional duty to request a vote of confidence in Parliament. KDH also called on Pellegrini to begin actively using his veto power against "legislative riders" and the misuse of the fast-track legislative procedure. Pellegrini will meet House Chair Rasi at the Presidential Palace on Monday afternoon, with the main issue of the talks expected to be the state of the legislative process and related unresolved issues. mf/df