EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW MP Romana Tabak openly: I did not want to take part in political revenge! – Topky.sk

Romana Tabak described how the discussions at the club took place before the voting itself and also what had happened at their meetings in recent months. In the interview, Romana Tabak talks about the ridicule, the “special” behavior of the prosecutor in the mandate and the immunity committee, and also whether he is worried about his political future. Did you vote freely when the chairman of Smer – SD Robert Fico was released? – Yes. I made my decision completely freely, according to my consciousness and conscience. When the proposal to prosecute Fica came to Parliament, at first I did not want to vote at all. Before the plenary session, I heard the arguments in the Credits and Immunities Committee. I have studied the resolution thoroughly. I myself decided that I could not vote for this. Did you tell a colleague from OĽANO how you would behave? Did they know your opinion in advance? – I told them openly that I was thinking about it and I’m not sure. A club was called where Igor (Igor Matovič ed. Note) had a very good speech. He called on us to vote according to our conscience that he would not tell us how to vote. And most of all, he emphasized that we should vote as we would vote on our coalition MP. Some colleagues said they would also vote to extradite their colleague to the prosecution. I was shocked at the team I was in. I heard everything. The conclusion was that we should vote freely. When I voted like that, suddenly there is a problem. When you indicated how you would vote, did someone push you to change your attitude? – Not. I did not say in advance how I would vote. I just said I definitely won’t be behind it. I emphasized that if we wanted to go the right way in the future, let’s go, but not like this. They underestimate me very much. They counted on me not reading what I was voting for. They were surprised to find that I was also on the Credentials and Immunities Committee. It was strange where I saw a prosecutor with a strange grin on his face. Our President was sitting next to me and I asked him: Do you see him laughing at what he’s talking about? What did you read from the prosecutor’s face? – That it’s just a play, that’s not kosher. A colleague tells me that he still has such a grin that it’s okay. Because I’m not afraid and I’m not really afraid of anything, I came to the prosecutor in the end and asked him why he had that smile. He told me with a very serious face: “You know, MEP, I’m like a woman, when she doesn’t understand something, then she just laughs a little.” I realized that this was another argument for me, why I was not willing to extradite an opposition MP . The opposition claims it is a political struggle … – I think it was political revenge. In this case, it was not about corruption, which was on our election agenda. I told myself that I would not take part in political revenge. Although we know what Robert Fico is and how bad he has done in this country. I don’t want to sign my name under something that was hastily done to show voters that we closed Fica. How many were in custody and are now at large? It’s a comedy. That is why I said to myself, let him be investigated like other European politicians at large, let him be convicted, which I hope will be for his actions.

After the vote, the statements of many politicians to your address and to your colleague were very emotional. How did you feel about it? – Not at all. For me, it was just one of the votes. I didn’t take it as the end of the world at all. I went back to talk to my colleagues. Some had stupid allusions, but I don’t notice it at all, as it wasn’t the first time. What allusions? – In a sense that I’m happy now. Then they didn’t even invite me to the club. They only invited Mrs. Hatráková. They made her completely laughed there and eventually kicked her out of the club. I’m also glad I kept my distance. I left with my head held high. They decided to expel me. I take note of that. If the movement says to vote freely, then I do not understand. Photo gallery (2) Romana Tabak
Source: RT Archive Are you sorry that you were expelled from the club? – Not. Not really after all this. Before the vote, my colleague Hatráková was pushed and even cried that this was too much for me. Therefore, she wore glasses during the vote. Is she the mother of three children and push her like that? That was really a lot. It is true that I was dissatisfied for a long time in the OĽaNO parliamentary group. I listened to constant hints and remarks about me. Being an athlete and experiencing it in tennis and at school, it doesn’t move with me. On the contrary, it moves me even further to positive thinking. When I went downstairs after the vote, some people asked me if I would rather go home in an underground garage. Why would I do that? I stand by my decision and a stone has fallen from my heart. I feel freer. Weren’t there people from the opposition behind you who convinced you? – Not. No one was behind me. But I still remember our club before the vote, when I came from training, I indicated how I was going to vote, and many turned to me with the fact that you should be quiet. I left the club. The President came to see me and I made it clear to him that no one would treat me like that. He asked me what I was talking about. I objected to him that I knew exactly what they were up to. A lot of people have political resentment and that’s not good. It’s dangerous when they know it can come back to them. There is no respect for the deputies at our club for a long time. I was still cursing that I belonged to We Are a Family. Is the OĽaNO club fragmented into groups that fight against each other? – I wouldn’t say that. There are factions, but they should be more cohesive. Many of them are amazing people. Unfortunately, it turned out that I was not one of them. Now it has been confirmed. Did President Igor Matovic call you after the vote? Or did he send a message? – He wrote on Monday that we could go for coffee, then he didn’t answer. After the vote, he told the media that I had definitely done it for the money. Then he wrote to me tonight that he wished me all the best. I sent the same message to him, saying that we could do a lot of good things in the years to come. And that fills me. The culture of politics has disappeared. At the Smer – SD meeting, vulgarities were heard at the president’s address, and Monika Flašíková Beňová, a MEP of the Smer, then received the news. Did you get a similar one after the vote?

– I am very sorry that women in politics have to face vulgarism and primitive news. After the vote, I received 70 percent positive reports and 30 percent negative ones. I do not admit negative news at all. I have a small child, I am a single mother … I don’t even have time for such insults. Do you anticipate that you might be under the scrutiny of some people now? – It’s part of politics. If you know what you’re doing and you’re not ashamed of it, anyone can follow me. I have nothing to fear. Today, a coalition MP photographed me on the left as an unlisted MP. After talking to someone from Voice or We’re Family … It’s really ridiculous. After the vote, SaS had a very emotional press, where the words about the end of the coalition fell. Will fall for the vote of two coalition MPs and MPs Are we a family government? – Not. I think it will be even stronger. The OĽaNO club shook. Everyone will now vote as one. Personally, I think there are more Members in the club who wanted to vote like a colleague and I, but they let themselves be influenced. I think it annoys them a little. I was also sorry. The coalition will be stronger and we will do many good things. Have you watched this emotional SaS press? MEP Janka Bitoó Cigániková in particular spoke quite harshly. – Yes. That’s exactly them. They play the theater from the very beginning. It’s funny to me and I believe they will focus on their work. The Honorable Member likes everything and comments on me. She is exactly the type of politician who is waiting for a response. I will rise above her. It ‘s really not worth it to me. I keep her thumbs up.

What’s next? Are you heading to the club We are the family you are closest to?

– I haven’t received an offer yet. I’m not afraid of myself not running for someone in the next election. Now I need to get some rest and focus on the votes. The next meeting with SaS deputies is to present a law on mothers so that they have an accompanying person at the birth. I believe that they will not exclude me as a petitioner because of my vote. If so, I vote for the law. I will not take revenge on anyone, the law is for mothers. Let us return to the question of your political future. – I see her very bright. I will definitely let you know how I decide. You are also interested in running in the October municipal elections. What do you want to apply for? – I want to run as a local deputy of the Old Town, as a city deputy and also to the Bratislava self-governing region. Do you want to run as an independent or under the banner of a party or coalition? – Under the party banner.