Protests against Consolidation Held in Several Cities and Towns across Slovakia
Bratislava, 16 September (TASR) - Gatherings organised by the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party against consolidation are taking place in Bratislava, Kosice, Banska Bystrica, Zilina and 12 other cities and towns in Slovakia on Tuesday evening.
The protest is also being attended by opposition chairs of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), Christian Democrats (KDH) and the extra-parliamentary Democrats.
According to PS, the consolidation will affect working people. "There is strength in unity. We have to work together like this, mobilise people and show [Premier Robert] Fico's [Smer-SD] government that it can't do everything. It can't impoverish people with impunity, sell them to the mafia or drag them off somewhere to Russia," said PS leader Michal Simecka, adding that he considers the consolidation to be an attack on employees, sole traders and entrepreneurs.
The protests are also being held in Trnava, Nitra, Trencin, Presov, Bardejov, Kezmarok (both Presov region), Liptovsky Mikulas, Ruzomberok (Zilina region), Lucenec (Banska Bystrica region), Povazska Bystrica (Trencin region), Senica (Trnava region) and Spisska Nova Ves (Kosice region).
Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is afraid that the entire opposition will unite, stated the opposition 'Slovakia' party on Tuesday, party spokesman Matus Bystriansky told TASR, adding that the 'Slovakia' party doesn't understand the position of Progressive Slovakia (PS), which, according to him, banned representatives of the 'Slovakia' party from speaking at Tuesday's protest rally.
"In the two years since the election, not a single poll has supported the PS's puzzling optimism that they can defeat the ruling mafia without our party. That's why it would be right for us to stand together on squares today. It isn't possible. Nevertheless, we called on our sympathizers to support the PS protests. MPs for the 'Slovakia' party will also take part in the protests," said Bystriansky, noting that the leader of the opposition should be the one who unites and not divides.
The spokesperson added that the premier, according to the party, has decided to destroy Slovakia and has "stolen" its future or reputation. "In 1998, when [former prime minister Vladimir] Meciar also made Slovakia the black hole of Europe, the democratic forces won only because they united and the leaders of the opposition did not prefer embarrassing politicking to the interest of the country," pointed out Bystriansky.
According to PS, all those who are bothered by the "impoverishment of Slovakia by Fico's fourth government" are welcome at the protests. PS added that they are organising them in a well-established line-up. PS, KDH, SaS and the Democrats are the basis of a stable governing majority after the next election.
