SaS Submits Motion for Disciplinary Proceedings against Danko
Bratislava, July 4 (TASR) – Opposition MP Anna Zemanova (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) will submit a motion against Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS) to the parliamentary mandate and immunity committee on Monday, Zemanova told a news conference on the same day.
Zemanova believes that Danko wantonly interrupted the special parliamentary session on Thursday (June 30) that was dedicated to a no-confidence motion in Interior Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) over the Basternak tax fraud case. Zemanova wants the committee to recommend that Danko should give up his MP’s mandate.
“I mind that we were prevented from debating the no-confidence motion. Danko in his MP’s oath promised to be loyal to the Slovak Republic, to carry out his duties in the interest of its citizens, to obey the Constitution and laws. However, in my opinion, he seriously threatened democratic principles and prevented MPs from carrying out their mandate,” stated Zemanova.
Zemanova stated that she objects to the fact that Danko blamed the interruption of the session on a banner unfurled by Igor Matovic (OLaNO-NOVA). “[The banner] was lying on the floor and prevented nobody from holding a debate. We’re talking about state larceny, while he [Danko] is talking about court etiquette and a dress code for MPs,” said Zemanova.
[Matovic has been wearing a T-shirt in Parliament that accuses Premier Robert Fico of protecting thieves. – ed. note]
MP Jana Ciganikova (SaS) said that if MPs are prevented from speaking in the House, they’ll speak in the streets, so further protests calling for Kalinak’s dismissal will take place on Monday – one in Bratislava and another in Kosice. Filip Rybanic, an assistant to MP Jozef Rajtar (SaS), will appear in Kosice to explain why he examined the bank accounts of Kalinak and former finance and transport minister Jan Pociatek (Smer-SD) in relation to the Basternak case.
The session on Kalinak began on Thursday (June 30), but Danko interrupted it when Matovic set up the aforementioned banner in front of the podium in the chamber. It displayed the faces of Kalinak and businessman Ladislav Basternak along with the slogan: ‘Decent people pay taxes, thieves live off them’. Danko called on Matovic to remove the banner several times, and when he refused to do so Danko suspended the session.
Danko said on the next day (July 1) that the session had to be postponed because there was a threat of physical conflict in the parliamentary chamber. “In addition, Matovic was using visuals in contravention with the law, not to mention his dress and vocabulary,” said Danko.
The interrupted session is due to continue on Wednesday (July 6).
