Danko: Situation May Lead to Caretaker Government Benefiting President

(STVR, 'Sobotne dialogy', December 14) Behind the rebellion of the Voice-SD MPs and independent MPs around Rudolf Huliak is President Peter Pellegrini, for whom a caretaker government would be convenient, said SNS leader Andrej Danko on STVR's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues), adding that relationship between Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is still bad. Danko doesn't believe there will be an early general election, however, he sees the alternative of a caretaker government as more realistic. MP Gabor Grendel ('Slovakia' party-For the People-Christian Union), also on the show, claimed that Pellegrini isn't an impartial president. According to Danko, the Voice-SD party doesn't feel any obligation after winning the presidential post. He claims that Huliak was persuaded to leave the SNS caucus by people from Voice-SD. "This is the game of Voice. I ask whether there is somebody in this republic who wants Peter Pellegrini to form a caretaker government. It already seems that way to me," he declared. Danko believes that not only the president, but also Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD), is behind the "rebellion" in Voice-SD party and MPs around Huliak. "Someone is waiting for an opportunity to bring down [Premier] Robert Fico, so that a caretaker government can be established," he said. Danko fears that next year a situation could arise in which MPs do not support the prime minister, potentially leading to the formation of a caretaker government. "Then the whole state would be governed from the presidential palace," said Danko. According to Grendel, Pellegrini will always give priority to the interests of Voice-SD. "That is how he performs his office," he stressed. He pointed to the fact that preferences of Voice-SD have fallen since Pellegrini became the president. Grendel wants Fico's government to end, but in a legal way, i.e. through regular or early elections. According to him, the February session will be a major test for the coalition. lin/ko