Matovic Considers Fico's Meeting with Opposition a Theatrical Display

Bratislava, September 24 (TASR) - Opposition's 'Slovakia' party considers Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) meeting with representatives of the opposition on the consolidation of public finances to be a theatrical display, 'Slovakia' leader Igor Matovic declared at a press conference on Tuesday and added that he's honoured Fico didn't invite him to the roundtable. "If you think that it would be an honour for me to have someone invite me to the Government Office or the Presidential Palace, then you're wrong. Genuinely, I'm happy not to be there and would never go there because you don't bargain with the mafia," said Matovic. Matovic believes that leaders of opposition parties PS Michal Simecka and SaS Branislav Groehling should both have gone to the meeting. [Groehling hasn't -ed.note]. "It's those who together with the mafia toppled (Eduard) Heger's government (2021-23) who need to negotiate because they've caused the situation we find ourselves today," claimed Matovic. Because of this, Matovic welcomed Simecka's participation and, on the contrary, criticised the fact that Groehling declined to attend. In addition, Matovic took potshots against KDH chair Milan Majersky for going to the meeting. "We're surprised that they fall into Fico's trap and wish to let themselves get smeared with something they have nothing to do with," he added. Matovic considers the consolidation measures unveiled by the Government to be cynical. "In February, at a session of the Government, they passed higher salaries for themselves - higher by 5,000 and more euros in net sums - and a few months later, at the same session, in the same room, they voted to take away €500 on average from every person's pocket," added Matovic, who plans to submit to Parliament a motion to scrap this year's salary hike for the Government members. mf