SaS Views Opposition Cooperation Positively, But Rejects 'Slovakia' Party

Bratislava, December 31 (TASR) - The opposition SaS party perceives cooperation among the opposition parties in a positive light, but he still rejects the 'Slovakia' party as a partner, as he cannot envision cooperation with people who don't want to cooperate, SaS chair Branislav Groehling has told TASR in an end-of-year interview. "SaS cooperates with PS and KDH. We collaborate in public life in organising protests as well as in parliamentary life in drafting joint bills, resolutions and holding press conferences together. Our cooperation is good, despite the fact that each party has its own identity," said Groehling. Groehling can't imagine such cooperation with legislators of the 'Slovakia'-For the People-KU caucus, however. "You can't cooperate with someone who's constantly hurling insults at you and who doesn't fight the governing coalition but engages in an all-out war even against the opposition instead," he added. Groehling finds some the stances of KDH to be surprising as well, however. "Sometimes I'm startled by the stance of KDH towards the governing coalition. They support some of their bills that they don't need to, and then the governing coalition sometimes supports some bills sponsored by KDH. This raises a few questions, but it's up to KDH to answer those with respect to its voters," he stated. "Forming a government with Voice or Smer is beyond the pale for me, and that's not just my opinion, but the opinion of the entire leadership and even the entire party," added Groehling. The SaS chair finds ties with PS to be positive, and he pointed out that the relations between the two parties weren't dented even when Ivan Korcok, who previously held the post of foreign affairs minister as a SaS nominee, joined PS. Groehling isn't concerned that SaS will lose voters due to this, as he believes that the two parties are different: PS is a progressive party that puts emphasis on culture and the environment, whereas SaS defines itself as a centre-right economic party. mf/df