MPs Hatrakova and Tabak Expelled from OLaNO Caucus Over Their Vote on Fico

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) – MPs Katarina Hatrakova and Romana Tabak were expelled from the OLaNO caucus on Wednesday, OLaNO caucus chair Michal Sipos told TASR on the same day.

The decision was made at a session of the caucus.

“Today, MPs Katarina Hatrakova and Romana Tabak, two out of 50 OLaNO lawmakers, betrayed the values of the party and the Manifesto that they signed. By preventing justice from being served, they betrayed the majority of OLaNO voters too,” claimed Sipos earlier in the day.

Earlier in the day, Parliament voted not to enable potential prosecution of MP Robert Fico (Smer-SD) in custody. Only two votes were lacking for the proposal to be passed. Hatrakova chose to abstain and Tabak didn’t vote.

“I don’t think that the current coalition is losing its anti-corruption credit and I viewed the vote on whether to enable the potential prosecution of Fico in custody through a wider political prism,” Hatrakova told the journalists after the vote . “I’m not saying that Fico is entitled to privileges, only that we as lawmakers enjoy a certain extent of protection.”

Her decision to vote the way she did was motivated also by the content of the resolution to press charges against Fico.

MP Tabak stands behind her decision, as she refused to take part in what she sees as a political vedetta. She hopes, however, that Fico will be convicted and lose his political mandate.