Gaspar: There Were No Good Solutions to Coalition Crisis (3)

Bratislava, March 20 (TASR) - There were no good solutions to the coalition crisis and the appointment of independent MP Samuel Migal to the post of Investment Minister wasn't a good solution either, but letting the opposition take up the reins of power would have been even worse, House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar declared on Thursday. The solution employed is supposed to restore the coalition stability and the support of 79 lawmakers. Head of the House European Affairs Committee Jan Ferencak (Voice-SD) stated that those who wanted posts have received them, but his path has diverged from that of Migal and Radomir Salitros over values-based issues and the endgame of their political vision. Ferencak still sees his future in Voice-SD. "There were no good solutions and this is not a good solution either," Gaspar told journalists, who asked him whether it pays to "blackmail" fellow coalition members. Gaspar added that if this course of action hadn't been employed, the opposition would have seized power in the early election and "steer Slovakia into war" and even worse economic decline than Slovakia is in now. Ferencak added that he wanted to stay in Parliament and retain his post of Kezmarok mayor. [which he would have needed to forfeit if he had become a minister -ed.note]. "I haven't changed my stance. The effort was for the governing coalition to have 79 lawmakers, all of whom support the Government Manifesto, which has happened," he claimed, adding that he "strongly" refused to leave Voice-SD to found a new political party together with Migal and Salitros. "On the other hand, even the vision of how the executive power should be run was very different from theirs," he said. Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) welcomed the fact that the governing coalition commands the support of 79 legislators again and commended Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) leadership in making that happen. As for the personnel changes in the Government, Blanar finds it most important for the Cabinet to meet its Manifesto "so as to show that we see no other alternative for Slovakia than the incumbent coalition." Regarding Migal's appointment to the post of Investment Minister, he stated that everyone has a right to receive their opportunity. "What's important is for him to do a good job because this agenda is rather sensitive," he said and voiced hope that Migal will surround himself with knowledgeable experts. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Richard Takac (Smer-SD) believes that the situation within the coalition is now stabilised. He praised the Prime Minister, who in his view had to become involved in the final solution, seeing as neither SNS nor Voice-SD junior coalition parties managed to resolve their own problems themselves. Takac hopes that cooperation with new minister Migal will be constructive and expertise-based in the same way it was with his predecessor Richard Rasi (Voice-SD). Migal and Salitros were expelled in January from Voice-SD, whereas Ferencak chose to stay in the party. Prime Minister Robert Fico held talks with the discontent lawmakers in order to secure their support for the Government. After the revision of the coalition agreement, Voice-SD surrendered the Ministry of Investment and Informatisation to Smer-SD and Migal became the new minister on Wednesday, with Salitros due to become the ministry's state secretary. mf