SNS Leader Andrej Danko Elected as Parliamentary Chairman

Bratislava, March 23 (TASR) – Andrej Danko, the chairman of the second strongest coalition entity the Slovak National Party (SNS), was elected parliamentary chairman in a secret ballot on Wednesday, receiving 112 votes from the 150-member House.

At least 76 votes are required in order to elect a parliamentary chair. Danko is replacing Smer-SD’s Peter Pellegrini in the second highest constitutional post in Slovakia.

“We’re living at a time with a fight to preserve statehood ahead of us and one for gaining a [good] position for Slovakia in the EU. I’ve always striven to be a person who wouldn’t promote xenophobia and racism in politics. I want to look for the good. I realised yesterday how dangerous the use of arms, resolving problems with violence and playing on the lowest instincts and emotions are,” said Danko in his inaugural speech in reference to the terror attacks in Brussels.

“Exhibitionism shouldn’t be displayed in Parliament, while the only arms used should be words … It’s fundamental to have our politics in line with human rights,” said Danko. [Legislator for the far-right Kotleba-People’s Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) Peter Krupa took a gun to the parliamentary building on Monday. He voluntarily surrendered it to the guards upon arriving, however. – ed. note].

Meanwhile, the three most-frequently used expressions in Parliament should be “thank you, excuse me and please”, added Danko.