Pellegrini Called on Coalition to Stop Matovic's Blackout Idea

Pellegrini Called on Coalition to Stop Matovic's Blackout Idea

Bratislava, April 1 (TASR) – Parliamentary Vice-chair and former prime minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) urged coalition partners to stop Prime Minister Igor Matovic’s (OLaNO) idea of Slovakia’s ‘blackout’, TASR learnt on Wednesday.


According to Pellegrini, Matovic is attempting to play marketing games with these suggestions, also pointing out the risk of a drastic impact on the economy.

“I also call on coalition partners to use common sense and to stop this experiment and social engineering and, on the other hand, to ensure that the measures taken so far are observed,” Pellegrini told TASR.

Pellegrini further said that the risk of introducing the blackout is a drastic impact on the economy, which is being already gravely tested by the consequences of the pandemic around the world. “The whole idea seems to me to be a social experiment that could have unpredictable consequences in the form of panic among people and a complete loss of confidence in the state, with no experts confirming the medical effects of such measures, which are born only in Igor Matovic’s head,” he added.

Matovic said earlier on the same day that the blackout would involve an extraordinary state lasting several weeks. People’s mobility would effectively be lowered to a minimum, while “military discipline” would be observed. According to Matovic, such a temporary state would make it possible to jump start the economy as early as possible, as it’s set to suffer long term given the current situation.