Sutaj Estok: MPs Should Elect House Chair at Beginning of Regular Session

Bratislava, March 12 (TASR) - MPs should elect a new House chair at the beginning of the regular parliamentary session due to start on March 25, said Interior Minister and Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok before the government session on Wednesday. According to Sutaj Estok, the parliamentary session won't be held earlier because the coalition needs to be certain about the number of votes to elect the House chair. Voice-SD is insisting on Investment Minister Richard Rasi's nomination for the post. Sutaj Estok added that Rasi should then vacate his ministerial post, which should be subsequently occupied by a Smer-SD nominee. Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is working to ensure that the governing coalition has as many MPs as possible and that it approaches 79, said Sutaj Estok. "I think it's realistic, negotiations are ongoing," he said, adding that it isn't easy to reach an agreement. The replacement in the investment minister's post should accompany the new House chair's election. Voice-SD vice-chair and Education Minister Tomas Drucker hopes that the premier is doing his best to secure the support of 79 MPs. He believes that agreements still hold and that MPs will vote for Rasi in the House chair election. Drucker isn't in touch with Voice-SD MP Jan Ferencak. He thinks that the government manifesto unites the coalition. He noted that MPs Samuel Migal and Radomir Salitros, who were expelled from Voice-SD, also voted for the government manifesto and that their public statements indicate that they want to continue to support the government. The House chair post has been vacant since April 2024, when then House Chair Peter Pellegrini won the presidential election. In line with the coalition agreement, the post belongs to Voice-SD, which has nominated its vice-chair Rasi for it. ko/df