Martin Fedor Leaves Most-Hid, Coalition Loses House Majority

Bratislava, September 13 (TASR) – MP Martin Fedor is leaving the Most-Hid caucus and the governing coalition due to differences in opinion, TASR learnt on Friday.

In his press release, Fedor cited a growing number of populist motions, propaganda and the failure to approve strategic security documents among his reasons. He declared that he wants to take no part in the race on who brings the most appealing, yet populist and irresponsible proposals in the run-up to the 2020 election.

“The fact that I’m leaving is the logical continuation of what I stated some time ago – that I no longer see my future in this political party and will entertain my next political future,” claimed Fedor.

The MP concedes that his views might differ from those espoused by Most-Hid and this way he wants to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts from flaring up. “Even for Most-Hid itself, it will be much easier to promote its partisan agenda in the environment of a single, unified party caucus,” added Fedor, who, nonetheless, credits Most-Hid with contributing towards reconciliation between Slovaks and ethnic Hungarians and safeguarding against more ill-advised policies that otherwise might have emerged within the governing coalition.

The coalition has thus lost its formal majority in the 150-member House, as the tally of coalition votes shrank to 75 in the wake of Fedor’s departure, although the coalition can still count on support from independent MPs.

Smer-SD caucus is 48-strong, Slovak National Party (SNS) 15 and Most-Hid 12. However, independent MPs Alena Basistova, Martina Simkovicova, Rastislav Holubek and Peter Marcek have proven to vote in concert with the coalition in many cases.