Fico: Opposition Free to Nominate Replacement for Simecka

Bratislava, September 17 (TASR) - The opposition is free to propose a different candidate for the post of House Vice-chair, who will be subsequently elected by the coalition, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared at a press conference after the coalition ousted opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) chair Michal Simecka from the House Vice-chair post on Tuesday. According to Fico, the coalition respects the opposition's right to one of the House vice-chair posts. He considers the dismissal of Simecka to be the right thing, however, and added that the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) will be asked to investigate the granting of subsidies to organisations of Simecka's relatives. "I trust that this is a clear message that we won't respect false politicians, false people, whose mouths are full of democracy and the rule of law, but who act non-democratically in their own house and go against the rule of law," claimed Fico. In his view, the case is closed and all that remains is a finishing touch in the form of the NKU's investigation. Fico wants the NKU to come to the Justice Ministry and the Culture Ministry and find out whether a fraud hasn't been committed by Simecka's family. He added that activities of Simecka's family are a "casebook example of parasitism". "PS is not Progressive Slovakia, in reality it stands for 'parasites of Slovakia'," stated the Prime Minister. mf/mcs