Hrabko: Sulik Won't Have Enough Time to Found New Party

Bratislava, 5 May (TASR) - Former Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) leader Richard Sulik's anticipated return to politics this autumn could be successful if he decides to run in the general election on the slate of an existing political party, as there wouldn't be enough time to set up and launch a new political party a year before the election, publicist Juraj Hrabko has said on TASR TV. SaS founder Sulik terminated his membership of the party as of 29 April. At the same time, he announced that he'll run in the next general election along with Jana Bitto Ciganikova (Independent). Sulik doesn't yet know on which party's slate he'll run. He only said that several options are on the table, including the extra-parliamentary 'We Are Family' party. "However, it isn't the only one. No decision has been made yet. We'll announce which option we'll ultimately choose in the autumn," he said. Hrabko views the autumn timing as still feasible because Sulik and Bitto Ciganikova are sufficiently well known to the public and don't have to promote themselves to a great extent. "If a new party were to be founded, a year or 18 months before the election is only a short time now. But if they decide to run on the slate of any other party, which Mr. Sulik hasn't ruled out, that year is enough," thinks Hrabko. Hrabko opines that if Sulik were to return to politics, he could attract some of SaS's voters. At this point, however, it's difficult to estimate how many voters that would be. Alongside party chairman Branislav Groehling, the key political faces of SaS today are mainly new figures who have joined the liberals from other parties, such as the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), OLANO (now the 'Slovakia' party), and For the People. "Today, the main faces are Maria Kolikova, Lucia Holeckova, Alojz Hlina, Juraj Krupa and Vladimira Marcinkova," noted Hrabko, adding that this has also brought a new direction to SaS's politics. On a different topic, the Supreme Court last week confirmed a 21-year prison sentence for pensioner Juraj Cintula for his assassination attempt on Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) in 2024, finding him guilty of committing a terrorist attack. Hrabko noted that in this case the question wasn't who was guilty, but what the legal classification of the act would be. "Those who have the authority to decide on this, the courts, have done so twice, as there was also an appellate procedure, and they decided the way in which they decided. Some may not like it, but they simply have to accept it," said Hrabko. ko/df