Sutaj Estok: Voice-SD Ready for Debate on Freeze on MPs' Salaries

(TA3, 'V politike', March 30) The coalition Voice-SD party is ready for a debate on a freeze on MPs' salaries, Interior Minister and party leader Matus Sutaj Estok said on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday, adding that House Chair Richard Rasi might come up with the initiative. "I think it is appropriate for MPs to show that they won't be the only ones to see their salaries growing at a time of tough consolidation," stated Sutaj Estok. His oponent on the show, opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) leader Branislav Groehling criticised the fact that the coalition is approving an after-service pension for the prosecutor general at a time when there's need to save public resources. "His annuity is a slap in the face of citizens now, when they experience the biggest-ever price growth, tax hikes, increases in fees and in the price of highway tolls," stated Groehling, adding that the coalition has approved the same for the premier. The interior minister said that Voice-SD could imagine reduction in the number of Slovak ministries to ten. However, it is not possible, as the party isn't alone in the coalition. At the same time, Sutaj Estok rejected the opposition's criticism of his idleness in the issue of insufficient personnel capacities in the Police Corps, claiming that the interest in working for the police is now 200 percent higher than it was a year ago. The SaS leader also criticized the current government for the state's response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. According to him, farmers have insufficient information and the coalition itself isn't united on the issue. He was referring to Nitra region governor and MP Branislav Becik (Voice-SD), who opposes some government measures. ko