Slovak government clashes over parliamentary speaker pick

5 months ago 15

Following Peter Pellegrini’s victory in the presidential elections, his resignation from the post of parliamentary speaker has put his former party, Hlas, in a difficult position, as both its coalition partners – Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS) – prefer to give the post to the SNS, despite the coalition agreement.

Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer) is backing ultra-nationalist SNS leader Andrej Danko for the speaker post, even though the coalition agreement and election results give the seat to the social democratic Hlas.

“I think it is a good proposal for the stability and balance of the coalition. Both Robert Fico and I support it. Andrej Danko has been a good speaker of parliament,” Kaliňák, who remains in contact with the injured Fico, told Slovak broadcaster RTVS.

Danko was also a parliament speaker during the third Smer-led government between 2016 and 2020.

In the last parliamentary elections in September 2023, the left-nationalist Smer won with 22.9% of the vote, while its coalition partner Hlas received 14.7% and SNS only got 5.6%. The coalition agreement reflects these figures.

Kaliňák said that while he understood the coalition agreement, it was drawn up before the new president was elected. He believes that Danko could revise it if elected.

The defence minister also stressed the need for stability in the ruling coalition, which is why Danko is being considered, even though Hlas has nominated its member Richard Raši for the post. Kaliňák hopes the government will resolve the issue by the end of June.

This debate was already underway before the assassination attempt on Robert Fico on 15 May, while Hlas has repeatedly asserted that it does not intend to give up the speaker’s seat.

“Hlas insists that the position of the speaker of the National Council should be held by its nominee,” Economy Minister Denisa Saková of Hlas told TA3 television on 26 May.

“Andrej Danko does not know if he wants to be an MEP, a parliament speaker or if he wants some other ministry,” she added.

Branislav Gröhling, leader of the opposition party SaS, said he perceives Kaliňák’s statement as a message to Hlas and Matúš Šutaj Eštok that their opinions are “simply not respected and accepted in the coalition”.

Interior Minister Šutaj Eštok replaced Pellegrini as Hlas’ new chairman on Saturday.

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)