Slovak, Czech parliament heads debate ways to block EU steps
ČTK |
21 September 2010
Prague, Sept 20 (CTK) - The chairmen of the Slovak parliament and the Czech Senate, Richard Sulik and Premysl Sobotka, yesterday discussed ways for central European and Baltic countries, along with Romania and Bulgaria, to block certain EU directives, Sobotka (Civic Democrats, ODS) told CTK after meeting Sulik.
They discussed a possible emergence of a bloc that would be strong enough to prevent the EU from implementing some of its decisions.
"We both consider the idea of the EU controlling our budgets an interference in the sovereignty of our governments and parliaments," Sobotka said.
He and Sulik (right-wing liberal Freedom and Solidarity, SaS) also share a negative position on a possible unification of direct taxes in the EU.
Sulik said Slovakia's recent refusal to provide a loan to the debt-ridden Greece means an encouragement for other minor EU states "not to agree with any nonsense coming from Brussels."
"We understand that not all politicians in Brussels like this, but I'm convinced that later, after the initial indignation calms down, pragmatism will prevail," Sulik said.
Slovakia, which (unlike the Czech Republic) has adopted the euro, was supposed to contribute with some 800 million euros to the Eurozone's loan to Greece worth up to 110 billion euros.
Sulik's visit to the Czech Republic is his first official foreign trip in the post of Slovak parliament chairman. He acquired it after his party, a newcomer in parliament, emerged second strongest from the general election on June 12 and became a partner in the four-party centre-right government.
At a meeting with Czech lower house chairwoman Miroslava Nemcova (ODS) earlier yesterday, Sulik appreciated what he called Prague's positive assessment of Slovakia's refusal to provide financial help to Greece.
After meeting Nemcova, Sulik said that like the Czechs, Slovakia is planning to reduce its spending on deputies, but would not resort to taxing the sum deputies monthly receive as compensation for their housing, transport, clothing etc. expenses.
"The compensation should not be taxed, it would be like taxing loans. I don't envy my Czech colleagues," Sulik said.
Slovakia plans to reduce the state spending on deputies by 10 percent.
In the Czech Republic, the centre-right coalition plans a 5-percent reduction of the wages of lower house deputies and other elected officials.
Sulik also met Czech President Vaclav Klaus yesterday.
He said he would return to Prague on October 26 to attend a concert to mark Czechoslovakia's birth anniversary.
(Prague Daily Monitor)