Simecka Urges Opposition to Join Forces Before Next Election (2)

Bratislava, 20 April (TASR) - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party and the Christian Democrats (KDH) plan to contest the election on their own, and leader of Progressive Slovakia (PS) Michal Simecka views statements to this effect to be irresponsible in the current situation. Simecka has called for a discussion among the opposition parties about joining forces. The PS leader harbours concerns that the opposition will contest the election disunited, with several parties polling close to the 5-percent threshold required to win seats in parliament, thereby leaving change-seeking voters with the dilemma of whether to support PS so it can win the election, or SaS, Democrats or KDH in order to prevent votes from being squandered. "If we don't give the voters a clear, unanimous choice, a clear alternative, we won't obtain victory. We won't have an opportunity to outvote this governing coalition, because some of these parties might not make it into parliament," warned Simecka at a press conference on Monday. SaS plans to run in the upcoming election on its own, arguing that pre-election alliances would, according to available polls and analyses, lead to a significant drop in voter-support and jeopardise the formation of a stable government that would not raise taxes. "Unification isn't a strategy. Anyone who talks about it only confirms they have no strategy to defeat Robert Fico. The opposition won't win by mechanically adding up numbers and party support. That isn't how it works," said party leader Branislav Groehling. He added that Slovakia needs a strong rightist, economically focused party. Running as an alliance would, in his view, mean endorsing policies such as progressive taxation, which SaS opposes. He also warned of weakening the rightist parties. "Artificial alliances often result in other actors being strengthened, including Igor Matovic [leader of the opposition 'Slovakia' party] or extremists. That certainly won't help defeat Robert Fico or restart Slovakia," said Groehling. KDH has likewise announced that it will run independently. "We're convinced that only a strong KDH is a guarantee of a stable government without Robert Fico that will kick-start the economy, help families and restore health care," said party leader Milan Majersky. Majersky warned that broad electoral blocs risk diluting rightist and conservative values, leaving voters without a clear choice. "KDH represents this alternative today, and it won't abandon its conservative values," he said, adding that a government with KDH would be one without chaos, without experiments and focused on real help for people. Meanwhile, Michal Simecka over the weekend urged leaders of other opposition parties to make choices easier for voters and create a mobilisation effect, outlining several options. NOTE: This story has been extended to include paragraphs 5-11 mf/df