'Slovakia' Concerned That Election Results at Embassies Would Be Untrustworthy

Bratislava, 13 March (TASR) - The opposition 'Slovakia' party has again criticised the coalition's plan to abolish postal voting from abroad in parliamentary elections, as it fears that voting at embassies could make the results unreliable, MP Gabor Grendel ('Slovakia'-For the People) stated at a press conference on Friday. The party also warns that people close to the current coalition could be working at the embassies. "If voting from abroad is to be provided by diplomats sent by this government coalition, such as ministers who had to leave their posts after various cases of embezzlement and scandals, or if long-serving, loyal members of Parliament who voted for all the disgraceful measures pushed through by this coalition are to be active there, then such people cannot guarantee any constitutionality, fairness or justice in parliamentary elections. On the contrary, they'll undermine the credibility of any election results," said Grendel. Grendel also rejected coalition claims that postal voting violates the principle of secret ballots and enables manipulation. "If the government replaces postal voting with voting at our embassies, the results of these elections from abroad will be absolutely unreliable, because they are to be guaranteed by people who serve in diplomatic missions as political appointees of the current government coalition," he added. A proposal to abolish postal voting from abroad in parliamentary elections is expected to be submitted to Parliament at its next session starting on 14 April. This was announced by Parliamentary Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD), who said that the proposal is being drafted by Smer-SD. He doesn't yet know whether it will be submitted as a parliamentary or government bill. The plan to replace postal voting with voting at embassies is allegedly due to concerns about election manipulation, including via postal voting. Robert Puci, head of the parliamentary caucus of the coalition party Voice-SD party, noted that there isn't yet an official agreement within the coalition on the matter. However, Voice leader Matus Sutaj Estok has stated that the party supports a solution allowing Slovaks abroad to vote directly on election day at embassies or other state institutions. He argued that postal voting from abroad doesn't meet the principles of universal, equal, direct and secret suffrage. mf/df