Krajniak: Joint Slate of Centre-right Parties Viable Alternative

Bratislava, 22 July (TASR) - A joint slate of centre-right conservative parties, including the Christian Democrats (KDH), the Conservatives-Christian Union, the Hungarian Alliance, the 'Slovakia' party and the 'For the People' party, would provide a viable alternative to the current fragmentation of Slovak politics, chairman of the Conservatives Milan Krajniak stated on Wednesday, as reported to TASR by Adam Rehak from the Conservatives' communications department. According to Krajniak, such an alliance could bring not only a strong election result but also a realistic chance of forming a government and implementing a programme focused on supporting families, economic growth, security and responsible management of state finances. "People in Slovakia want a strong centre-right alternative and don't want to choose solely between Smer and Progressive Slovakia (PS)," he said. Krajniak pointed out that it's important for the conservative bloc to have its own candidate for prime minister. "Our ambition is to put forward a premier who will guarantee support for families with children, economic stability and the consistent protection of Slovakia's national interests," he stated. MP Richard Vasecka (Conservatives) emphasised that support for families must remain the common ground for conservative parties. "A strong Slovakia cannot be built without strong families. The state must create conditions to enable young people to afford to start families and bring up children. Support for families with children is not an expense, but an investment in Slovakia's future. If we want to halt the demographic decline, family policy must be one of the main priorities of the future government," said Vasecka. Krajniak also pointed out that one of the key issues in the coming years will be Slovakia's position within the European Union. "Slovakia belongs to both the European Union and NATO. At the same time, however, it must have a government that will confidently defend our national interests in Brussels, reject efforts to further centralise decision-making, and insist that fundamental issues affecting life in Slovakia should be decided first and foremost by the citizens of the Slovak Republic. We fear that a government led by Michal Simecka (PS) would lead to a gradual loss of Slovakia's sovereignty within the European Union," he stated. am/df