One strange story behind europarl politics

Few days till elections, I have come across one strange story behind parliamentary politics. The basic question in this story is: is it possible for one political party to literally buy a membership in europarl political fraction? And does that make any sense?

First of all, it is important to introduce main characters in this story: Slovak political party HZDS with currently three MEPs in Parliament and Estonian political party Keskerakond with one MEP.

HZDS’s leader Vladimir Meciar (former prime minister, known for his anti-democratic governance between 1994 and 1998) is a long-term problem in party’s ambition to take part in one of the centre of right European political groups. Other Slovak political parties, mainly KDH, have been vetoing HZDS attempts to join EPP, so party is searching for other kind of European political cooperation, which could kind of legitimise whole party, it’s history and political style. So, another way is to try  ALDE group.

Last year HZDS gained affiliated membership in European Democratic Party, which is also a member of ALDE in EP. Spokesman of french delegation in ALDE Yannick Laude then said, that they don’t have a problem with members of HZDS, but they still have a “big problem” with Meciar.

This year, two businessmen very close to HZDS and Meciar, donated 67 000 eur (other source states 89 000) to Keskerakond. One reason could be (slovak daily SME speculated)- after euroelections, there will be a party congres in june, where HZDS could gain a full membership in ALDE, in case it will have some contacts and friends to help. HZDS and Keskerakond are denying (of course) such interpretation, the general secretary of Keskerakond, Priit Toobal, maybe does not know who is his party dealing with.

This may be just an awkward example of one little bit from our political life. But it shows how politician think and how they perceive their role in this game. I personally hope thatHZDS will not gain full membership in any of the political fractions in EP. It still is one man political party with strange (and potentially dangerous) connections and interests. It also shows, that europarl backstage politics works just like any other “normal-life” relationship- you will help me (or pay money,…) I will help you in turn. Screw values.