GUGSP
© 1997, 98
Miro Sedivy |
GUGSP News Archive: 30 Mar - 05 Apr 1998
A summary of the most important events in the Slovak politics in the 14th week of the year 1998.
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MONDAY 30 Mar 1998
The governmental coalition representatives met today on the regular coalition discussions. Vladimir Meciar (HZDS), Jan Slota (Slovak National Party) and Jan Luptak (Association of Slovak Workers) discussed also about the presidential candidate for the third round. HZDS decided to propose Milan Secansky (b. 1929) for the coalition candidate for the President of the Republic in the third round, which should be held on 16 April. Milan Secansky is a deputy for HZDS, and therefore he does not have many chances, as the opposition can stop his candidature.
Jan Slota (SNS) declared, that his party wants to have a new President before the September Elections, and that they will fully support him in the coalition. In the case Secansky is not elected, SNS will have their own candidate for the fourth round.
The Institute for Public Affairs (IPA/IVO) asked in the public inquiry, whether the citizens would vote for Vladimir Meciar for President. About 20.3% would vote YES, 51.8% NO, 7.2% would refrain, 8.5% wouldn't participate and 12.2% do not know. Therefore, Vladimir Meciar couldn't be successful in direct elections, and that's why he's against them.
The European Union officially began the integration of the Central and Eastern European countries. In the first round, it should be the Czech republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus. Unfortunately, due to many negative steps of the Slovak government against the democratic principles, Slovakia won't be invited with all other neighboring countries in the first round only because of political and democratic reasons.
The Slovak National Party (SNS) criticized the last-Wednesday biggest meeting since November 1989 in Bratislava. The meeting was organized by the Slovak Democratic Coalition as the tenth anniversary of the commemorative Candle Demonstration in 1988, which began the process of destruction of the communist power and finished in November 1989 by fall of communism in the country.
The Slovak National Party criticized mainly the active presence of the leader of the Democratic Union Eduard Kukan and the former President Michal Kovac, who were in the service of communism before 1989, and therefore shouldn't declare their relation to the Candle Demonstration in March 1988.
In this issue, Radio Twist asked the Education Minister Eva Slavkovska (from SNS) on her past, on her activities before 1989. Eva Slavkovska was a historian and wrote several works about the very positive communism. Slavkovksa said for Radio Twist, that she didn't believe in what she wrote, because she had to use only official materials, which were often falsified. She just had to "write what they wanted me to write."
The Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar said about the recalled Slovakia Ambassador to Vatican Anton Neuwirth, that he's leaving his post because the Slovak government is not satisfied with the general law relations between Slovakia and Vatican. Meciar said, that he did not recall the person of Neuwirth, but the person responsible for the relations.
A few weeks ago, the government recalled 28 Ambassadors as a sign of getting functions of the leaving President Michal Kovac. The government still did not receive agreements from countries where the new Ambassadors should be sent.
Although the Regional Procurator decided that the referendum, declared by the municipal office in Sturovo (a small town in Southern Slovakia) cannot be held because it's not in accordance with the rights of the municipal parliament, the town representatives decided to continue in the preparations to this referendum, who has been firstly declared by the former President Michal Kovac for 19 April 1998, and then canceled by the government. It will concern the entrance of Slovakia into NATO and direct presidential elections.
The transplantation of the heart has been successfully performed in Bratislava. It was the already second successful operation only one week after the very first historical transplantation of heart in Slovakia.
TUESDAY 31 Mar 1998
The 45th Parliamentarian session continued today. Robert Fico, the deputy for the Party of the Democratic Left proposed, that the National Property Fund should pay the money for the privatization to all citizens older than 65 years after January 1 1999. It would mean to pay more than 2.5 billion SK (~70 million USD). Nevertheless, according to Robert Fico, the National Property Fund will have to pay money to all citizens by 2001, which will make about 33 billion SK, and it "won't have any money at all!", Fico emphasized. The National Council did not accept this proposal and continued in the discussion on other laws.
According to the Interior Minister Gustav Krajci, the announcement of an attempted murder on the Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar before February 25, was real and that's no joke at all, nor "any sort of pre-electoral campaign." Krajci said, that the treating of this case is nearing to its end, the Prime Minister is not threatened now. Nevertheless, he will still have stronger bodyguards... (who will pay them?!?)
The Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) is the strongest political subject in Slovakia according to several public inquiries. It's formed of 5 opposition parties, and will probably go into the September elections together. The problem is the new electoral law, which is still not accepted in the Parliament, and will make problems to SDK, because it totally refuses the idea of coalitions.
SDK representatives are currently discussing on the future form of SDK, and their pre-electoral strategy. Due to currently very slow and inefficient form of decisions, when each of five political parties had to discuss and accept the issue alone, and then to find a consensus, SDK should now create such a form of a small parliament - with 5 deputies for the Christian Democratic Movement, 4 for Democratic Union, and one for each of the Democratic Party, Social-Democratic Party in Slovakia and Greens' Party in Slovakia. In the case of equal number of votes, the potential leader of the whole coalition would have a decisive vote. It's very probable the current SDK spokesman Mikulas Dzurinda will become the official leader.
Although the Regional Procurator in Nove Zamky recommended not to hold a referendum in Sturovo on the issues of Slovakia's entrance into NATO and direct Presidential Elections, the municipal parliament decided to organize the referendum on April 19 in the whole town.
When the Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar visited Bratislava Regional Office last Friday, he mentioned, that Bratislava is the best-developed region, and he did not entirely understand, why there are so many demonstrations of "political extremism"... The Mayor of Bratislava Peter Kresanek said, that the citizens of Bratislava are not extremist. "They show their unbelievable patience in the relations to the Slovak government", Kresanek added. Citizens of Bratislava elected their mayor who is not devoted to the governmental power, and therefore the government is revenging against the town by lack of finances, new Slovakia regional administration, which in fact destroyed the status of the capital city...
Vladimir Meciar mentioned, that it was necessary to improve the relations between the government and the city, nevertheless, he did not meet any of the Bratislava municipal representatives at his visit to the Regional Office, Kresanek said.
(A note: Regional Office is a governmental institution, and its director is named by the government; municipal representatives, local parliament and the mayor are elected by the citizens.)
The official dialogues with the integrating countries to the European Union began. At the first Monday session, also Foreign Ministers of other countries participated. The Slovak Foreign Minister Zdenka Kramplova preferred to send her State Secretary Jozef Sestak instead of her and she went to Southern America, to open a new Slovak Consular in Brasilia. Jozef Sestak declared, that Slovakia would join into European Union very quickly, Slovakia was already prepared to fulfill all requests... (???)
The Czech and Hungarian Foreign Ministers emphasized, that they wanted Slovakia to join into European Union, but they cannot help the country in any way. It's just the work of the Slovak government...
Lubomir Ficker (Slovak Democratic Coalition) said a few days ago, that the Construction Ministry deceived in the case of new-constructed apartments. Ficker argued, that there were several unfinished flats declared as finished only because of the fear of possible penalties for delayed construction. There were even some cases of official termination of the construction on Christmas Eve. The Construction Minister Jan Mraz said, that it was possible, but he wasn't the responsible for that...
The representatives of a very minor Christian-Social Union (KSU) led by Viliam Oberhauser accused one of the most popular private radio TWIST. In fact, they accused its director Andrej Hryc for one daily program called "Cierna Skrinka" (Black Box), which is every weekday at 9.30am. It's somehow "Vox Populi", where people can absolutely freely call, and leave messages, greetings, and present their opinions on anything. Of course, it's anonymous, and people use it really widely. Apart of short messages and birthday greetings, people also announce lost things in public buses, their lost dogs, hats and cars. They criticize the persons responsible for clean streets, thank to the doctors and nurses, leave messages to their lovers. People also comment the current political events, recommend to the politicians what to do etc.
The Christian-Social Union, which already strongly criticizes the most popular private TV Markiza for too much violation and erotic materials, added Radio Twist in their list. Is it possible? A propagation of violation and pornographic materials on a radio station???? Or is KSU afraid of public opinion? Or do they want to attract the attention of those few potential voters?
WEDNESDAY 01 Apr 1998
The 45th session of the Parliamentarian session continued today by the discussion about the Gabcikovo Danube Dam. The deputies accepted by a majority, that the Slovak government has to insist on respecting the results of the Hague court decision by the Hungarian government.
The Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) is now the electoral subject of five opposition parties for the Parliamentarian Elections in September. Until now the spokesman, now the official leader of SDK Mikulas Dzurinda presented also the new decisive system of SDK - the Christian Democratic Movement will have 5, Democratic Union 4, and each of the Democratic Party, Social-Democratic Party in Slovakia and Greens' Party in Slovakia will have one deputy. In the case of equal number of votes, Mikulas Dzurinda would have a decisive vote.
The Institute for Public Affairs asked in a public inquiry, according to which, the Prime Minister and the leader of HZDS Vladimir Meciar is still the most popular politician in Slovakia.
According to the information of the Slovakia Press Agency (TASR), one of the world's most important rating agencies Moody's Investors Service said yesterday, that it has lowered its rating for Slovakia by two levels from investment to speculative level. The reduction lowers the evaluation of all Slovak National Bank bonds that have been sold on foreign financial markets. TASR did not report the reason for the lowered rating, but observers believe the political situation in the country was a factor.
The President's Office in Kosice (the second Slovakia town in Eastern part of the country) has been temporally closed today and sealed up. Its former director Ladislav Orosz refused to present his successor, but it should be someone from the State Administration.
The Schoengen agreement is in value in Austria since today too. It means the interior European frontiers with Germany and Italy are free for passengers now, on the other side, it means better protected borders with the Czech Republic, Hungary, but also Slovakia...
According to the TV Markiza News, mostly the deputies of the Prime Minister's party HZDS, will take the places of Slovak Ambassadors, as most of them have been recalled recently by the government.
The influenza is spreading all over Slovakia... in certain regions, the number of sick people doubled, and quite many schools had to be closed. Bratislava is still the most healthy region, but one never knows... personally, I've got problems with my nose too...
THURSDAY 02 Apr 1998
The 45th Parliamentarian session continued today by the regular Hour of Questions and Answers. After quite long time, the Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar participated too. The first question, from one deputy of his own Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), concerned one concrete highway section somewhere in Slovakia. Not a problem for the Prime Minister to answer this question by arguments, that the highway network in Slovakia will be finished by the year 2005...
Then, he received another question from SDL deputy Milan Ftacnik, concerning his January speech in Martin about eliminating the influence of teachers, priests and doctors to the public opinion. Vladimir Meciar said, that this citation has been published in some not serious newspapers, and that it's not a real citation of himself. Milan Ftacnik then reminded the Prime Minister of his promise, that the teachers' salary had to be increased by 100%. Vladimir Meciar argued, that the government did increase the salaries correctly.
Recently, the State Secretary of the Slovak Foreign Ministry Jozef Sestak declared, that Vladimir Meciar had to go to Russia before July. Now, although the Russian President Boris Yeltsin recalled his whole government, there are still preparations to Meciar's trip. Jozef Sestaj has been asked, whether Slovakia makes any difference between the situation in Moscow and Prague, as Vladimir Meciar said last year, that he wouldn't discuss with nobody from the current Czech government. Jozef Sestak said, that there was a very important difference, because it was Yeltsin's full right to recall his government, and Slovakia is criticizing the Czech side for the way it changed its government... According to Sestak, Slovakia will await the new Czech government after upcoming Parliamentarian Elections and will discuss with it without problems, "also about 4.12 tons of the Slovak Gold, which had to be returned to the Slovak Republic from Prague", Sestak added.
The spokesman of the Petition Committee Vladimir Palko said, that they already collected exactly 100,000 signatures after nearly 8 days of the activity for free and democratic elections and direct presidential elections. The petition will last until 12 May at least, and Palko believes it will be the biggest petition in the history of Slovakia. Petition has been supported by the Church, but not by the Party of the Democratic Left, who "will hold their own activities", Jozef Migas said.
It's the first Thursday in the month, and the supporters of HZDS from the whole country met again in the Bratislava - Pasienky sport hall. Vladimir Meciar declared, that he and Ivan Gasparovic (chairman of the National Council) wouldn't run in the candidature for President, but will lead HZDS in the Elections.
Parliamentarian deputy and the leader of the Unified Party of Work Miroslav Kocnar will again propose his own candidate in the third round of Presidential Elections. Dr. Zdeno Suska is working in the technical department of the center of spare time. "If Suska does not pass into the second scrutiny, we'll support SDL's candidate Brigita Schmognerova", Kocnar said.
Jan Cuper, the law expert of HZDS refused any ideas that he could become the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic. It was the reaction to yesterday's information, according to which, also Cuper had to be sent abroad to diplomatic posts, as more than a half of all Slovakia Ambassadors have been recalled.
FRIDAY 03 Apr 1998
The 45th Parliamentarian session continued today. The deputies accepted several social laws, which increase, for example, the living minimum to 3,000 SK monthly (about 85 USD) since July 1998. This means, that the living minimum equals to the minimal salary! This is the problem, because who would work for a few crowns if he/she has only a little bit higher salary than the minimum...
The members of the Petition Committee for correct elections met with the representatives of the Union of Tradesmen (KOZ) today. KOZ chairman Ivan Saktor fully supported the activity and all the representatives of KOZ signed the petition sheets with the words, that it wasn't a partisan petition, but every rational person should have sighed the petition.
Ivan Saktor said, that it wasn't important who declares such an activity, but what such an activity should reach. It's very important to keep the democratic process in this country, and the Tradesmen Union accepts such an activity, but does not push their members to support any concrete political party.
The relations between KOZ and the government aren't the best. "The current Slovak government has serious problems with communication not only with us, but also with others."
On the yesterday's HZDS meeting in Bratislava - Pasienky sport hall, the Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar said: "I'm not against petition activities, but if they are misused against state institutions, it'll be necessary to make something with their organizers." The former President of the Republic and the current chairman of the petition committee Michal Kovac welcomed Meciar's opinion, that he wasn't against petitions. "As usually, this petition is not against something, but first of all - for something", Kovac said. He added, that he was quite satisfied with the current situation about the petition. His very nice aim would be to get more than 500,000 signatures, which is more than last year in the petition for referendum, later marred by the government.
Michal Kovac did not refuse the possibility of further cooperation with the Slovak Democratic Coalition. "My duty is to help the democratic process in this country", Kovas emphasized.
The chairman of the deputy faction of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) Tibor Cabaj sent to the Parliamentarian chairman Ivan Gasparovic the official candidature of the first HZDS's presidential candidate Milan Secansky (b. 1929). This means there are three official presidential candidates: Milan Secansky (HZDS), Brigita Schmognerova (Party of the Democratic Left) and Zdeno Suska (Unified Party of Work). The Slovak Democratic Coalition did not propose their candidate, because they now work hard for direct presidential elections. Nevertheless, they will probably support Brigita Schmognerova.
According to radio Twist news, the State Secretary of the Slovak Foreign Ministry Jozef Sestak said on yesterday's press conference, that there was no difference between the two groups of countries in the queue for the integration into the European Union. The vice-chair of the Slovak government for European Integration Jozef Kalman does not think the government could be somehow responsible for the fact, that Slovakia has not been invited into the dialogues of its entrance into the European Union...
Nevertheless, there's still a difference - Jozef Kalman returned home yesterday... the Foreign Ministers of the Czech republic, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Slovenia and Cyprus stayed in Brussels...
Frantisek Sebej from the Democratic Party evaluated Kalman's statements, that Slovak government fulfilled its duties in Slovakia's integration into the European Union, as a "very cynic and impertinent lie. It evokes an impression, like if Mr. Kalman, Meciar, Luptak and Slota were just impartial spectators of the current situation in Slovakia..."
Ivan Miklos (Democratic Party) said, that the current form of the privatization of national property is just a non-transparent stealing... According to his information, in 1992, the buyers paid about 106% of the real price of the objects. Now, in the year 1997, the buyers paid only 18% of the prices - sure, they bought it for almost nothing. The Fund of National Property will miss millions and millions SK for paying out money to the citizens.
Richard Hergott, the former speaker on regular HZDS meetings has been named the director of the Slovak TV headquarters in the second Slovakia town Kosice. He wants to improve the neutrality of the TV News.
Vladimir Meciar posed the base stone of the two-levels crossroads in Prievidza.
Yesterday, the policemen stopped a car in the Bratislava center and shoot its driver into head. According to the police's information, it was an action concerning the drugs affairs. The 21-year-old man died in the hospital today.
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