Huliak Demands to Meet Premier, After Danko Didn't Take him to Coalition Talks

Bratislava, October 2 (TASR) - MP and head of non-parliamentary National Coalition Rudolf Huliak (SNS caucus) fails to understand why SNS leader Andrej Danko didn't take him to a session of the coalition council and added that Danko has no power to make decisions on behalf of National Coalition members. Because of this, Huliak will demand a meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) directly. "It was always up to the chair of a parliamentary caucus who he's going to take with him. Unfortunately, Andrej Danko didn't take me. I don't understand that because following Tuesday's (October 1) press conference, Danko has no power to make decisions on behalf of the National Coalition members," Huliak told journalists. Huliak refused to comment on Danko's statements about him. Instead, Huliak drew attention to the fact that several of his nominees in the Environment Inspectorate and the State Nature Protection had been fired earlier in the day, which he perceives as a vendetta from Danko. This view was shared by National Coalition vice-chair and MP Pavel Luptak (SNS caucus). "It's with horror and shock that I've been learning since morning that our nominees are being sacked from their jobs. I'd like to say in all seriousness that if this isn't reversed, or, God forbid, continues, I as a person will no longer feel bound by the pledge I gave to my colleagues-lawmakers and Andrej Danko that we will do our utmost to preserve the SNS parliamentary caucus," he said. Huliak underlined that all they wanted to do was change the name of the SNS caucus while still remain its members and part of the governing coalition. "I fail to grasp all this pandemonium that has emerged. Mr. Danko knew very well that we're the National Coalition and we will always stand behind our party," he added. mf/mcs