BRATISLAVA, January 7, (WEBNOVINY)- Prime Minister Iveta Radicova does not consider the decision to make a change to the constitution that enabled the president to charge the current cabinet to govern until early elections a good solution. She is critical of the ad hoc change of the constitution because of the emerged situation but she says that she respected the decision of political parties.
After being charged to continue until the March 10 race the Cabinet faced a demanding period as after the situation was solved with approving changes to the European bailout fund, an issue that in fact toppled the government, the case of eavesdropping on journalists by the military counterintelligence surfaced, which resulted in the dismissal of SAS’s defense minister Lubomir Galko. Then the Cabinet had to deal with the crisis in the health sector. The prime minister said that she still did not succeed to only switch on the heat and lights, paraphrasing the known statement of opposition leader Robert Fico who characterized in this way competencies of the outgoing government. The amendment to the constitution has changed the government’s powers while part of them require the president’s approval, which means more intensive communication with the Presidential Palace. “However this changes nothing with the fact that the cabinet has to manage all protests and turbulent moments regardless they occurred before or after the cabinet failed to win parliament’s confidence, underscored the prime minister.
After the collapse of the government in October the Slovak Parliament greenlighted a constitutional draft amendment enabling President Ivan Gasparovic to authorize the Cabinet of Iveta Radicova to remain in office in a caretaker role until a new government is formed after early elections in March 2012. The mandate of this Cabinet is limited. It is allowed to execute independently only its constitutional powers. The implementation of powers enacted in other laws will require prior approval by the president on a case-by-case basis. The interim Cabinet cannot pass decisions on substantial economic and social measures, internal and foreign policy and amnesties regarding transgressions.
SITA