Danko: I Ordered Mesterova Out for Promotional Materials and Disrupting Speech

Bratislava, 24 April (TASR) - MP Zuzana Mesterova (Progressive Slovakia/PS) was ordered out of the parliamentary chamber on Friday, as she had brought materials with her that she wanted to use during her speech, House Vice-chair Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS), who chaired the session and ordered Mesterova out, said on the same day, claiming that the materials were PS's promotional materials. Danko added that the MP was also disrupting House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar's (Smer-SD) speech in Parliament. Danko said that he asked Mesterova what kind of materials she had brought into the chamber. "She clearly stated that they were some sheets that she wanted to use to support her speech and to present her strength," he told journalists. "She violated the rules by bringing materials serving to promote her political party into the chamber," said Danko, who also claimed that PS MPs were preparing a "coordinated attack" and deliberately jeered and provoked Gaspar during his speech. According to Danko, Mesterova repeatedly disrupted the course of the proceedings. He expects that MPs will repeatedly breach the parliamentary rules of procedure during Friday's session. He said that he refuses to chair a session in which a speaker is being disparaged and attacked, and when items are brought into the chamber that shouldn't be there. Gaspar claimed that had difficulty finishing his speech in Parliament due to the opposition's behaviour. "My fundamental right, my political right to speak in Parliament, was violated," he said, claiming that Mesterova was shouting and disrupting the proceedings. "Those papers were just an extra bonus to everything else that was being prepared here," he added. Gaspar praised Danko's response in the chamber, saying that it was in line with Parliament's rules of procedure. House Vice-chair Martin Dubeci (PS) described Friday's events in Parliament as unprecedented. According to him, people cannot simply be ordered out of the chamber. He pointed out that Mesterova was reportedly ordered out for having papers on her desk. He rejected claims that she was commenting on Gaspar's speech, saying that it was allegedly other MPs who were doing so. "When I chair a session, it's nothing unusual to have some shouting or more noise during the debate, but I simply calm it down. It's Danko's fault that he's unable to do anything else but order people out of the chamber," he said, also criticising Gaspar for his inability to handle comments and jeers. The parliamentary debate on draft legislation to amend the rules for voting from abroad, sponsored by the coalition Smer-SD party, was interrupted on Friday. PS MPs had brought sheets bearing signatures for a petition that they've launched against restricting voting from abroad. Danko ordered PS caucus head Mesterova to leave the chamber, reproaching her for disrupting the course of the proceedings and bringing visual aids into the chamber. ko/df