The incumbent Government might conclude its tenure before its mandate is up, Prime Minister and Smer-SD party chairman Robert Fico indicated at an HN Club discussion forum on Tuesday. Fico was referring to the current situation in politics and society, which, he stated, involves the Opposition's inciting the public to take to the streets, a phenomenon that he called the "Balkanisation" of Slovak politics. As a date for a possible premature end to the sitting Cabinet, he indicated June 2015 on several occasions. Such reflections stem from reasonable grounds, said Fico. "Our patience has some boundaries. I see no point in listening to people, half-lunatics, yelling under my windows 'come out here, we'll shoot you like Ceaucescu'. This is what they often say to us. I see no point in listening to people in Parliament who tell us that we've accomplished nothing and that we're riff-raff", said the premier. "There you are, I can imagine us handing in our resignation to the president in June, and then the president and everybody else purporting to be an alternative can go and govern this country for eight months. Now that would be great", he added. Fico went on to dismiss a scenario wherein a coalition of six or seven Opposition parties would serve as an alternative to the incumbent Government, drawing a contrast to what, according to him, the parties actually have to offer. While he acknowledged the advances that have been made in Slovakia and surrounding countries towards a stronger presence of Independents, he's certain that only strong political parties and a parliamentary system can ensure progress for the country. In response to the recent series of rallies against the Government, Fico recognised people's right to express their dissatisfaction. However, such gatherings don't warrant his Government's exit, he said, noting that as many as 8,000 people attend gatherings that his Smer-SD party holds to mark International Women's Day. "I hope you don't want me to act like [Hungarian Prime Minister] Viktor Orban in that when there's a rally we'll organise a counter-rally to which we'll bring 20,000 people. That isn't a way out. There's always some dissatisfaction", said Fico, who claimed that the recent local elections showed that his Cabinet still has the support of the majority of the population.

Text: Gavin Shoebridge, Photo: SITA