Puci: We Have 24 Hours to Strike Deal with Taraba MPs

Bratislava, 10 November (TASR) – The coalition has 24 hours to negotiate with three independent lawmakers centered around Tomas Taraba to establish whether they are willing to support an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure concerning the system of benefits for cooperating defendants and under what conditions, Voice-SD parliamentary caucus head Robert Puci told journalists on Tuesday. Puci said that at least Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should hold talks with Taraba. "We have 24 hours for talks with the MPs around Mr. Taraba, and we need to find out whether they're willing to support the amendment at its third reading and under what conditions. The vote will be repeated tomorrow at 11.00 a.m., and we'll see how it goes. In any case, if it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass," said Puci after Parliament failed to approve the amendment. "I personally believe that talks should take place at least between the prime minister and Mr. Taraba, rather than between us as MPs," he said. According to Puci, the priority is for the three MPs to state what they want, "because nobody knows what they want". Puci explained that lawmakers voted on Tuesday on whether to move the amendment directly to its third reading, as parliamentary rules normally require a 24-hour interval between the second and third readings. "We can shorten this period, as we do at every vote. We didn't shorten it, which means that tomorrow at 11.00 a.m. there will be a vote directly on the third reading," he added. Lawmakers failed to approve the amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure in Tuesday's vote. The proposed changes concern the system of benefits for cooperating defendants. Parliament rejected a motion to move the amendment immediately to its third reading. The vote is now scheduled for Wednesday (11 November) at 11.00 a.m., as no votes are held at 5.00 p.m. on Tuesdays. Of the 150 MPs present, only 75 voted in favour of moving the proposal to third reading. Those opposing the motion included the entire opposition, plus Independent MPs Roman Malatinec, Tomas Taraba and Peter Slysko. The three MPs are working together as part of a new political project. mf/df