Tomas: Key to Defusing Situation within Coalition in Fico's Hands

Bratislava, September 23 (TASR) - The key to calming the situation within the coalition lies in the hands of Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), opined Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) on Monday, adding that a recent dispute between Voice and the Slovak National Party (SNS) has now grown into a disagreement between all three coalition parties, including Smer. "Voice wants nothing more than clear adherence to the coalition agreement and the government manifesto. Part of the agreement is that the right to fill the post of House chair with its own candidate belongs to Voice," said Tomas. The minister at the same time remarked that part of the manifesto mentions the adoption of 13th pensions equal to the average pension and the setting of a new minimum salary of more than 60 percent of the average salary. "I don't understand why the minimum salary bill is still being postponed, and I do not understand why [SNS leader] Andrej Danko suddenly questions 13th pensions," the minister noted, rhetorically asking in this regard what is the point of the governing coalition if agreements aren't respected. Tomas went on to say that he can't imagine Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova (Voice-SD), who was lambasted by Danko at the weekend, being dismissed and replaced. "If someone is to make personnel changes concerning nominees of a specific party, it should be done by the party concerned and there should be no calls to this effect from a coalition partner," said Tomas. zel/mcs