Slovak National Party Re-elects Andrej Danko as Its Chairman

Obyce, 14 March (TASR) - Andrej Danko will be the chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS) for the next four years, with delegates at the 31st working congress in Obyce in the district of Zlate Moravce (Nitra region) re-electing him for the post on Saturday. "Today, I once again accepted the challenge to offer the voters of Slovakia an alternative not only in national, but also in Christian and social policy," stated Danko. Danko stressed that SNS wants to offer real solutions to its voters in the upcoming period. "I am saying it as we feel that Slovakia is stagnating, that two and a half years of government under the leadership of Robert Fico (Smer-SD) are a repetition of the phrase: 'One thing is said, while something else is done'. Today we see the premier dealing solely with cooperating defendants every Sunday. We as a government are losing, while the [far-right] Republic party is gaining in the polls. I presented a fundamental point at the congress today: we want to be an alternative for the disappointed voters of this coalition, particularly those of Smer-SD and Voice-SD," stated Danko. The SNS chairman also expressed his full support for the current governing coalition, saying that he believes in Robert Fico's awakening. "We still have a year and a half to change politics in Slovakia. We in SNS will do our best to succeed in the local elections, to awaken this coalition, and above all, to be a successful party in the upcoming general election," he said. According to SNS caucus head Roman Michelko, the party won't automatically support all coalition bills in Parliament in the upcoming period. "We'll act as the goalkeeper, pushing the balls away from our goal line so that the coalition doesn't score own goals," said Michelko. SNS also dealt with preparations for the local and general elections at its congress. It wants to cooperate primarily with the Smer-SD and Voice-SD parties in the local and regional elections. "In the general election, we want to win as many voters as possible so that SNS has the strongest possible mandate. Yes, we want to gain more percent than Smer-SD. And only SNS members will be on our slate," stressed Danko. ko