Smer-SD and SNS MPs Submit Motion to Oust Simecka from Post of House Vice-Chair
Bratislava, September 5 (TASR) - Lawmakers for Smer-SD and the Slovak National Party (SNS) on Thursday submitted a no-confidence motion in Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka regarding his post of parliamentary vice-chair.
An extraordinary session to that effect should be held within seven days. The motion was initiated by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), who accuses Simecka of linking foundations that have received money from the state to his family members, including his uncle, mother and partner.
"First of all, it's about state subsidies being received by people close to Michal Simecka who are directly related through two civil associations between 2020-2024, when in our opinion he had a direct influence on the provision of subsidies to these entities," said House Vice-Chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD), who tabled the motion along with Rudolf Huliak (SNS), at a press conference. Gaspar also spoke about suspicions of illegal practices in influencing the process of allocating state subsidies, referring to an audit presented by the Justice Ministry.
According to the motion, the PS chief is also abusing protests against ministers who head the Culture and Justice Ministries. According to the coalition, these are ministries in which Simecka's family is "losing its financial backing".
Huliak believes that Voice-SD MPs will vote in favour of Simecka's dismissal, even though they didn't sign the motion. Voice-SD representatives have repeatedly said that Simecka should resign from the post himself.
The PS leader maintains that the premier's attacks on him and his family are a distraction from Slovakia's real problems. He pointed out that all the foundations and civil associations mentioned by Fico and the coalition were drawing subsidies long before he entered politics. Simecka added that PS has never been in government and so has never had any influence over the distribution of subsidies.
