Danko: SNS Won't Withdraw from Coalition Agreement

Bratislava, September 23 (TASR) - The Slovak National Party (SNS) doesn't intend to withdraw from the coalition agreement and it doesn't intend to betray its coalition partner Smer-SD in negotiations, either, SNS head Andrej Danko said at a press conference on Monday. Danko once again lambasted Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova (Voice-SD), opining that she's failing to do her job properly. Nevertheless, Danko claimed that SNS MPs won't support a no-confidence motion in Dolinkova in Parliament. According to Danko, only Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) can demand that she should be dismissed. At the same time, Danko criticised Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD), claiming that Tomas is lying when he says that Danko wants to scrap parental pensions as part of consolidation of public finances. "I am in favour of preserving parental pensions. And, of course, there is talk about a different manner of calculating parental pensions, but as head of SNS as well as an individual I don't agree with it," said Danko. [A parental pension is a benefit which, with the consent of insured individuals, is provided to individuals who brought them up and to whom old-age material security is provided, as part of the tax paid or part of the payment made by the insured person in connection with participation in an adequate old-age material security scheme - ed. note] On this note, Danko assured Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) that SNS will support his consolidation package. Addressing the vacant post of House chair, Danko claimed that he isn't interested in filling the post anymore, opining that Parliament is working properly even without the House chair. According to Danko, Premier Fico said first that it would be good for the coalition if he held the post. "I can't get the post without support from Fico and Smer, I'm aware of SNS's position in the government. But Voice-SD failed to understand this," said Danko. zel/mcs