BRATISLAVA, November 20, (WEBNOVINY) – Unless the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party changes its position on the permanent eurozone bailout fund, its coalition potential will be close to zero, stated Finance Minister and SDKU-DS Deputy Chairman Ivan Miklos on Sunday’s political debate program of TV Markiza Na Telo. „Unfortunately, as in such a principal matter the SaS maintains its position that brought down the government, then unfortunately in spite of agreeing on many other levels, their coalition potential is close to zero,” Miklos stated. SaS leader Richard Sulik likened the permanent eurozone bailout fund to a “permanent tunnel” that would harm Slovakia even more than boosting the temporary bailout fund, over which the government collapsed.
Sulik went on to say that his party continues to object to the idea of establishing a permanent bailout fund. According to him, the SDKU-DS is doing everything in its power to please Brussels. He criticized Miklos for not negotiating any opt-outs for Slovakia regarding the permanent bailout fund. „Ivan Miklos did not negotiate anything in Brussels. We are paying the highest volumes, and will be paying the most in the permanent bailout fund, too,” he said. Miklos reacted by saying that the bailout fund is the result of an agreement of seventeen democratic governments, and not the Brussels‘ dictate. The finance minister sees the permanent bailout fund as a variation of the International Monetary Fund. Miklos reminded Sulik that the text of the agreement on establishing the permanent bailout fund has been available since March, and when ahead of the early parliamentary elections Sulik alleges that Slovakia did not negotiate anything in the agreement, it is just Sulik’s populism.
With regard to approving the state budget for next year, Sulik said he is discussing the support for the draft with deputy Igor Matovic, who conditions support for the budget upon freezing the salaries of politicians and changes to state funding of political parties. He believes the budget draft will be approved. The party leader added that if four deputies for Matovic’s association Ordinary People, who were elected to parliament on the SaS ballot, do not support it, it will not be the SaS’s fault. He called on Miklos to hold talks with Matovic as well as other parliamentary parties. “We will do everything in our power to approve the budget,” Miklos responded, reminding that Igor Matovic participated in the meeting of coalition partners dedicated to the state budget, where he did not speak about his conditions.
SITA