The European Union Wednesday urged Slovakia to "rise above" local political wrangling that led to Tuesday's parliamentary no vote to European Financial Stability Facility amendments, dpa reprted.
EU officials' pleas to approve the mandate redoubled mere hours after the measure, tied to a confidence vote, failed to gain passage.
Prime Minister Iveta Radicova's government subsequently collapsed Tuesday after the bill's tabling.
EU President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso wrote in joint communiqué released Wednesday that the bill must be approved in order to assure eurozone prosperity.
"We remain confident that the Slovak authorities and the parliament are fully aware of the critical importance of an enhanced and more flexible EFSF to preserve financial stability in the euro area," they said.
Reforms to the EFSF have been approved by all other 16 eurozone countries.
Slovakia's rejection could complicate EFSF reform, but the country's parliament is expected to vote again - though a second vote date has not been set.
While the neo-liberal SaS, one of the four governing parties, did not participate in the vote, the opposition Social Democrats had indicated that their obstructive stance was up for negotiation once the government fell.
EU to Slovakia: Reverse EFSF vote, end partisan political tussle
The European Union Wednesday urged Slovakia to "rise above" local political wrangling that led to Tuesday's parliamentary no vote to European Financial Stability Facility amendments.
