BRATISLAVA, October 14, (WEBNOVINY) — Opposition SNS leader Jan Slota predicts that the government of Prime Minister Iveta Radicova will fall within a year. It should crash within twelve months at the latest, according to his latest predictions. “I believe that every government that has increased the tax on beer will not rule for long. And it applies also to this government. I give it some half or three-quarters of a year or a year maximally,” said Slota at a news conference on the government’s first hundred days in office. He expects that the government will fall next summer or in the autumn. Slota gave the almost worst possible mark to the Cabinet of Iveta Radicova and as he explained he was merciful in his evaluation only because most members of the Cabinet “breathe in Slovak.” Slota also praised the KDH that it sided by brewers on Wednesday who protested in front of the parliament against a hike in the excise tax on beer. “I also like to drink good beer and I am not ashamed for that at all,” he said.
Slota announced that his party would support the cancellation of immunity protecting MPs from prosecution for transgressions but only on the condition it will be widened also to other constitutional officials including the president, cabinet ministers, judges and others. The SNS however rejects curbing immunity from criminal prosecution, as it protects MPs from failure of the executive power.
The SNS leader likes as well the proposal of Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer (SaS) to merge public broadcasters Slovak Television and Slovak Radio into one institution. He said however they would wait for further details as a merger is a long-term matter while it is important what will come next.
The SNS refuses the proposed changes to the state language act and to the amendment to the state citizenship law. They do not agree with the amendment on judges and lay-judges either and will support a request of former justice minister and current Supreme Court President Stefan Harabin to deliver an address to parliament. When he was Justice Minister, Harabin used vulgar speech when talking with the then opposition deputy and current interior Minister Daniel Lipsic and told he would go to jail. Currently, Harabin wants to bring Finance Minister Ivan Miklos to court as he believes that Miklos intimidates the Supreme Court and threatens the independence of judges.
SITA