President Doesn't Think Fall of Government Currently on Table

(TA3, 'V politike', December 22) I don't think that a collapse of the government is currently on the table, President Peter Pellegrini stated on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday, pointing out, however, that there is a growing level of instability and conflict within the coalition. The head of state also said that he had communicated with Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) about the situation, and he assured him that he'll take steps to stabilise the situation in the coalition. "Neither I nor the Presidential Palace is interested in destabilising this governing coalition. After all, I was at its birth. We aren't making any activities or supporting any rebellions, in one camp or the other, because I don't think that in these difficult times Slovakia currently needs a government crisis or a fall of the government," he pointed out. The head of state rejected statements by Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko that he is interested in a fall of the government. He thinks that if someone started the erosion of the coalition, it is Danko. "After I left [for the Presidential Palace], he started behaving the way he did, provoking individual coalition partners," said Pellegrini, adding that in his opinion both the government and the prime minister should declare that they don't want their end. The president also feels sorry about the situation in the Voice-SD parliamentary caucus, claiming that some MPs don't want to participate in the unity of the caucus. He hopes that the situation will calm down in the new year. According to him, Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok is responsible for the stability of the parliamentary caucus. The head of state also appealed to the government to get back to addressing the real problems of the people. "Over the past six months, I've had the feeling that the coalition has been more self-absorbed, and that the level of instability and internal conflicts is growing and that it seems to have forgotten to continue to fulfil the promises that are clearly written at the beginning of the manifesto, so that the people of Slovakia can live better, safer and have better quality of life," he stated. am