MEP Duris Nicholsonova Considering Leaving SaS Party

Bratislava, February 11 (TASR) – MEP Lucia Duris Nicholsonova is considering leaving the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, TASR learnt on Wednesday (February 10).

According to information available to TASR, Duris Nicholsonova told members of the SaS leadership on Tuesday (February 9) that she’s quitting the party. TASR has contacted the MEP concerning the issue, but she didn’t want to comment on it for now. Her party has declined to comment on it as well.

SaS caucus head Anna Zemanova said that she would be sorry if Duris Nicholsonova left the party. “If a situation like this occurs, I would definitely be very sorry about it, but you can’t force anybody to be a member of any political party,” she told TASR, adding that Duris Nicholsonova is an experienced politician, is aware of her political responsibility, and it’s possible that she’s thinking about something like this with regards to the current situation.

Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Martin Klus (SaS) hopes that Duris Nicholsonova will not go. “I’ll do my utmost to ensure that it doesn’t happen,” he said, adding that it would be a pity if Duris Nicholsonova quit the party.

The situation occurred following a dispute between Duris Nicholsonova and Vice-premier and Investment Minister Veronika Remisova (For the People) in connection with EU funds. On Monday (February 8), Duris Nicholsonova told a news conference that Slovakia has irrevocably lost one billion euros because it failed to reallocate the money from the European Regional Development Fund by the end of 2020. Remisova rejected the claim, adding that Duris Nicholsonova spouted a great deal of misleading information at the press conference.

Leaders of the coalition parties subsequently discussed the issue at a Coalition Council session, with SaS leader Richard Sulik apologising for the situation.