Opposition Lambasts Coalition Over Shortening Debate on State Budget

Bratislava, December 21 (TASR) - The opposition criticised the governing coalition for cutting short the debate on the 2024 state budget on Thursday before all registered speakers had their turn at addressing the Chamber, with SaS announcing it will reach out to the Constitutional Court over what it sees as a violation of democratic principles and the trampling of lawmakers' right to speak. "The Parliamentary Chair has become a censor. We condemn his decision and the decision of the majority to terminate the discussion on the budget," claimed Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka. Simecka declared that he understands the frustration of the coalition over the fact that the opposition has managed to postpone the deliberations on the scrapping of the Special Prosecutor's Office, but he pointed out that the coalition had several options on how to prevent the filibuster. "What happened today, the fact that the governing coalition muzzled the opposition with a single nonsensical bill, defies understanding," said KDH chair Milan Majersky. He added that the Christian Democrats had been prepared to discuss individual budget chapters constructively and the filibuster had given the coalition no right to take such a step. "When they did it with the budget, what is to be expected with other bills awaiting us next year?" he asked. SaS caucus chair Branislav Groehling claimed that the decision to cut short the debate, made by House Chair Peter Pellegrini, shows how Pellegrini envisions that Parliament should be run. "We wanted to give expertise-informed speeches, voice our opinions on the state budget," he said and bemoaned Pellegrini's choice as a brutal and unacceptable interference with the rights of lawmaker. Because of this, SaS plans to reach out to the Constitutional Court. Majersky and Simecka reiterated that they had proposed to suspend debate on other bills and debate the 2024 state budget already earlier in the week and blame the coalition for the chaos during deliberations. Lawmakers of the 'Slovakia'-For the People-KU caucus joined the criticism of Pellegrini as well, maintaining that his decision has violated the Rules of Procedure. mf/mcs