BRATISLAVA, January 9, (WEBNOVINY) – Changes in the Labor Code which the center-right government is preparing can lead to a referendum, stated leader of the SMER-SD party and former prime minister Robert Fico. “I cannot rule it out. But I am not talking about us, that we would organize a referendum. I think that employees might lose it in a positive sense, because what the government proposes is a liquidation of employees’ rights,” the opposition leader said in an interview for SITA news agency. In his opinion, there will be a significant political battle for the Labor Code. “This is such an important issue for us, like abortion is for Christian Democrats. We will very fundamentally stand behind the protection of the [current] form of the Labor Code and reject interferences that the rightist government is now talking about,” he stressed.
Fico further said that his party does not organize public protests because of the Labor Code. He went on to say that the SMER-SD is not a political party that would support decisions and steps damaging the economy. “I mean a halt of production or likewise. On the other hand, we will fully support if unionists express their opinions in the form of peaceful gatherings, as they have already done several times. We will definitely recommend our people to participate in such protests. But we will not take and are not interested in taking the way of Fidesz in Hungary. That is absolutely counterproductive,” stated Fico.
The year of 2011 will otherwise be a bit politically vegetative period, the SMER-SD leader opines. “There will be peace, while political turbulences that everyday politics bring will be common. Precisely this, that there will not be a point on which we could concentrate in the form of elections or another important event will be what will cool down passions,” said the SMER-SD leader.
If the government does not collapse, disputes will be very intensive, Fico maintains. He believes that there will be serious battles, concerning the Labor Code for instance, as well as layoffs, which some state-run joint stock companies, such as Cargo, have already announced. “That is interesting: why the state does not want to help a company which is in troubles not due to its fault, and why people have to pay for it all. It is important that the state help in such predicaments. We helped Cargo and would certainly continue to help it, because to lay off people from the company just because there is a global crisis and Cargo’s output is decreasing is a very unfortunate decision with regard to the people,” he concluded.
SITA
