BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s main political parties have reached a deal to approve changes to a European Union bailout fund this week, the main opposition leader said Wednesday, just one day after the parliament rejected the proposal, causing the government to fall.
Robert Fico, head of Smer-Social Democracy, said that in exchange for his party’s votes, three outgoing government party leaders have agreed to hold early general elections on March 10.
“Slovakia will ratify the EU bailout fund without any problems. I believe it will happen on Friday this week at the latest,” Mr. Fico said.
Tuesday’s vote failed because a junior coalition party, the Freedom and Solidarity party, was against it. In a desperate effort to force that party to vote in favor, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova tied the vote on the bailout fund to a confidence vote in the government. When the vote failed, her 1-year-old government collapsed.
With the government now defunct — and with the promise of early elections — Mr. Fico said his party will vote in favor of the bailout fund, which all 16 other members of the eurozone already have supported.
Eurozone leaders agreed in July to increase the size and powers of the bailout fund, giving it the ability to lend quickly to governments in case of market trouble in order to contain the stubborn financial crisis.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.