Monitor: Simecka: PS to Head into Upcoming Election with Three Key Topics

(JOJ 24,'Politika 24', 19 April) The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party will enter next year's parliamentary election with three key topics, including economic growth, the fight against corruption, and the cost-of-living crisis, PS leader and MP Michal Simecka said on JOJ 24's discussion programme 'Politika 24' (Politics 24) on Sunday. Regarding the cost-of-living crisis, PS would like to focus on housing, energy prices, and construction of flats. "We have a very detailed plan for this, which people can look at, that I presented on how to double the pace of apartment construction. Because the problem with high prices of flats, as well as rents, is that there are simply not enough flats," said Simecka. The PS leader also revealed, in connection with the parliamentary election, that the party is in talks about cooperation with several opposition parties. When asked whether, in case of parliamentary election, he would prefer smaller parties to join forces or for him to be the leader who unites all parties into a single bloc, he replied, "whatever that will work". Simecka also didn't directly answer who he could imagine as the PS leader in his place, noting however, that there are many capable candidates to replace him. The discussion also touched on the parliamentary election in Hungary. According to Simecka, Peter Magyar's victory gives hope for Slovakia as well, suggesting that change could come there too. Magyar's victory is also a source of hope for the European Union, he opined, explaining that this marks the end of a chapter in which Hungary, together with Slovakia, undermined the unity of the EU. Furthermore, according to the PS leader, Magyar won't be a Trojan horse for Russian President Vladimir Putin, unlike Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD). am