Kollar Doesn't Rule Out Resignation and We Are Family Departure
Bratislava, July 2 (TASR) – Parliamentary Chair Boris Kollar (We Are Family) on Thursday didn’t rule out resigning from his post and his party leaving the governing coalition at the same time, adding that neither he, nor his party mates at the ministries are ‘stuck to their chairs’.
Kollar has taken note of calls for his resignation, but he views them as blackmail. He said that he’ll provide a further stance after a meeting of the We Are Family caucus.
“Allow yourselves to be surprised,” said the parliamentary chair when answering journalists’ questions concerning the statements made earlier that he won’t resign. According to Kollar, it wasn’t enough for his coalition partners for him to apologise and say that he won’t use his master’s degree. He views it as blackmail that his partners want him to resign despite the steps he’s taken.
“I won’t let myself be blackmailed, as it would then be followed by ‘resign as an MP’ and then ‘dissolve the party’ – that’s what I call blackmail,” said Kollar. “I have no problem leaving not only one chair, but also all the three chairs we have at ministries,” Kollar told journalists following his meeting with Environment Minister Jan Budaj (OLaNO).
Kollar also denied claims that he wants to see the fall of the governing coalition, stating that the coalition can continue to function even without his We Are Family party. “There’s a need to count to 78. I’m not [Freedom and Solidarity/SaS leader] Richard Sulik, who quit when they didn’t have enough votes. This governing coalition can continue to run smoothly,” said Kollar, adding that Sulik’s dream of a coalition without We Are Family would come true with his departure.
Kollar is facing suspicions of plagiarising his diploma thesis. The For the People as well as SaS parties have called on him to resign, although OLaNO hasn’t done so. It suggested that Education Minister Branislav Groehling (SaS) and Justice Minister Maria Kolikova (For the People) should prepare a law that would enable diploma theses to be examined retroactively. Kollar maintains that he gained his master degree in a lawful manner and doesn’t intend to use it in politics any longer.
