BRATISLAVA, October 22, (WEBNOVINY) – MOST-HID has denied backstage information about potential coalition with the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) ahead of the early elections. Party leader Bela Bugar announced at a news conference following the session of the Republican Council that SMK has been harshly and uncompromisingly rejecting MOST-HID’s efforts for a peaceful contest to win supporters over the past two years. According to him, a coalition of the two parties would not bring about the desired synergy effect. However, the candidate list of MOST-HID is open, also for members of SMK. MOST-HID cannot pool efforts with a party that tries to resolve the status of ethnic groups in Slovakia outside the country’s territory.
Collaboration with Slovak partners is the right track for a peaceful co-existence of minorities and the majority, according to Bugar. He was unwilling to say whether the candidate list would be open also for the Civic Conservative Party (OKS), not before he announces the decision of the Republican Council to OKS Chairman Peter Zajac. MOST-HID straightforwardly ruled out cooperation with the Slovak National Party (SNS). Bugar said his party would not partner with parties that pursue confrontational politics and populism. “If SMER says that if it rises to power, it will revoke or amend the law governing the use of minority languages, it means that they are already considering how to increase tension,” Bugar stated. He does not reject cooperation if the parties are willing to agree upon peaceful cooperation. Another criterion for partnership is responsible politics in the EU and the euro zone. Unless SaS changes its opinions, the neoliberal party won’t meet the cooperation criteria, either.
The SMK presidium will take a stand to the decision of MOST-HID on Sunday.
SITA