BRATISLAVA, October 18, (WEBNOVINY) — The new Cabinet that is to lead Slovakia to early elections in March 2012 has to have three competencies, according to outgoing Prime Minister Iveta Radicova. “It should have the power and mandate to negotiate in Brussels. That is of essential importance to us. The Cabinet should have the competency to deal with the state budget and if it is not approved, to be able to adopt measures within a provisional budget. Thirdly, it has to be able to adopt emergency measures if the situation radically deteriorates. It is in the hands of the president which Cabinet can do this,” the prime minister said in an interview with SITA news agency.
Radicova believes that decency in politics has no chance in this country. “The president informed me that if I hand in my resignation, he will proceed by appointing an interim or caretaker government. He has not changed anything about his decision,” she said. She thinks that whether her Cabinet resigns or loses a confidence vote, the situation is the same. “The Cabinet would fall either way and the president would have to resolve the situation. He is leaning toward a solution that appointing an interim government means holding a confidence vote in parliament. I am not revealing information from a private conversation, but I would rather not comment on the president’s actions,” she added.
Radicova cannot see herself at the helm of the Cabinet or asking for the parliament’s confidence. “That is nonsense. This government does not have a majority in parliament,” she stressed. According to her, the situation is in the hands of the president, as it would be if she handed in her resignation. “If I personally decided to resign, it would be absurd to ask for a mandate to lead the Cabinet,” she adde
According to the prime minister, leading the Cabinet until March is not about willingness. “It is about a prompt solution to the country’s stability. The campaign has started. Those like Fico will make me a target at any cost. They will say that I cannot negotiate anything with Barroso any more. They are concealing the main problem, that Brussels is still investigating the drawing of EU funds by Fico’s government. For instance, the bulletin-board tender, social companies, Environment Operational Program and many more. The OLAF anti-corruption unit from Brussels is about to complete the investigation. When I hear what Fico is capable of, I am astounded,” she said.
SITA