A junior partner in Slovakia's ruling coalition said today it would abstain in a vote to ratify a euro zone debt rescue plan, forcing the government to turn to the opposition to get the package through.
This afternoon's vote has been made into a vote of confidence in the government of prime minister Iveta Radicova, which will now fall short of votes to force the package through this time round.
The plan to give more powers to the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) may be approved, with the help of opposition votes, in a subsequent vote.
"Joining these two votes is a definitive waste of a chance to approve the euro rescue fund," Chairman Richard Sulik of the liberal Freedom and Solidarity Party (SaS) told reporters.
Reuters