If Voice and SNS Fail to Reach Stability, Premier Will Propose Changes in Gov't

        Bratislava, February 11 (TASR) - The coalition parties Voice-SD and Slovak National Party (SNS) have until Monday (February 17) to negotiate a solution for the restoration of a permanent government majority, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) posted on a social network on Tuesday, adding that if they don't reach intra-party agreements with MPs who have left their caucuses by that date, they accept that he'll propose several changes in the government to President Peter Pellegrini on that day.
        According to Fico, the coalition must immediately return to implementing the government manifesto.
        "Representatives of the ruling coalition have today directly and indirectly intensively discussed to definitively resolving the crisis in the Voice-SD and SNS parties, which are currently unable to stably guarantee a functional governing majority due to the MPs who left their parliamentary caucuses," the premier stated on Tuesday. Fico was asked by Voice-SD and SNS to give them space for negotiations. These parties want to present proposals by Monday for a solution to restore a stable governing majority.
        The coalition had 79 MPs at the start of the term. Last year, three MPs, including Rudolf Huliak, Pavol Luptak and Ivan Sevcik, left the SNS caucus. This year, the Voice-SD caucus lost three lawmakers. Roman Malatinec joined the SNS defectors and Radomir Salitros and Samuel Migal were expelled from the party.
        The MPs around Huliak had earlier declared their readiness to help the coalition fulfil the government manifesto. However, they pointed out that the negotiations were still ongoing. In recent days, several ministers have admitted to changes in the government related to the changes in Parliament.