Election23: Solymos Finds Sulik's Call to Withdraw Audacious

Bratislava, September 24 (TASR) - The latest statement from Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) chair Richard Sulik, in which Sulik called on other parties who don't fare so well in the polls to withdraw from the election, is quite audacious if not downright arrogant, Laszlo Solymos of 'Blues, Most-Hid' party declared on Sunday. "His statements are also not fair towards the voters. After all, every voter has a right to make a free choice. On September 30, we will have the right to decide whether or not to grant confidence to those who have repeatedly demonstrated to Slovakia their inability to cooperate together constructively," said Solymos. Earlier this month, Sulik called on parties that rank in the polls below the 5-percent threshold required to make it to Parliament to withdraw. Leader of Blues, Most Hid and former premier Mikulas Dzurinda (1998-2006) has already signaled that he doesn't plan to do so. This weekend, Sulik claimed that Dzurinda's refusal to withdraw from the September 30 parliamentary election carries the risk that it won't be possible to stop Smer-SD chair Robert Fico from forming the next government. "The same holds true also for other small parties that have been consistently ranking below the threshold of electability. I hope and pray that the sense of responsibility will prevail a few days before the election," said Sulik. In response, Blues, Most-Hid urged Sulik to weigh his words, as the expulsion of Blues, Most-Hid from the election will help neither SaS nor Slovakia. mf