Danko on Defence and Security: SNS Consistent in Both Words and Actions

Bratislava, March 26 (TASR) - The junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) objects to sending soldiers to the Baltic region, which it finds inappropriate in the current situation, SNS chair Andrej Danko declared at a press conference on Wednesday. "I think that no one can expect SNS to support an escalation in tension and the dispatching of troops when there's hope of peace in Ukraine and peace talks are ongoing," said Danko, underlining that SNS is consistent in what is says and does. Danko reiterated that SNS also objects to legislation aimed at bolstering Slovakia's resilience in defence and security. In Danko's view, using the name gendarmerie for a new corps is unseemly. Meanwhile, the SNS chair claimed that Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (Independent) is hiring people from "Matovic's circles" to staff his ministry, adding that Huliak lacks an "elementary education" about either sport or tourism. Earlier on Wednesday, SNS stated that it's against the stationing of soldiers in Latvia as part of the multi-national NATO brigade because it doesn't want to have "Slovak soldiers on Russia's borders". SNS also had a problem with a bill sponsored by the Defence Ministry that would form a Gendarmerie Corps, but both bills were passed in Parliament on Wednesday without SNS's approval. mf/df