'Slovakia' Slams Gov't for Away-from-home Sessions, Calling Them Marketing Trips

Bratislava, 24 March (TASR) - Representatives of the opposition 'Slovakia' party have criticised the government following its away-from-home session in the village of Hronske Klacany near Levice (Nitra region) on Tuesday, calling it a "show for the public" intended to cover up the rising incomes of government officials, TASR has learnt from the party's spokesperson Matus Bystriansky. They also urged the government to stop its "marketing trips" and start addressing people's actual problems. MP Julius Jakab ('Slovakia'-'For the People' caucus) pointed out that, despite public promises, the government hasn't frozen the incomes of its members. "This government doesn't care about people. They promised to freeze their flat-rate allowances, but they've frozen absolutely nothing," he said, slamming the government for its actions in connection with energy and taxation. Head of the 'Slovakia'-'For the People' caucus Michal Sipos pointed to Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) weak position within the European Union, saying that he's an outsider and that no one listens to him. According to Sipos, the prime minister is failing to promote Slovakia's interests. "He wasn't even able to press for the resumption of [oil flows via] the Druzhba pipeline. Instead of delivering results, he's filing lawsuits against the European Commission. This isn't how one should behave at a negotiating table," he stated. He also stressed that Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban are undermining the unity of the EU and behaving like "servants of Russian President Vladimir Putin". At the same time, Sipos warned of suspicions regarding election interference. "Fico and Orban always help each other during elections. It's no coincidence that Fico was given air time in Hungarian media during a moratorium [on electioneering], or that Orban helped him at just the right time with people-smugglers and illegal migrants at the border," said Sipos. jrg/df