Ruling party stands behind Interior Minister; rebuffs calls for his resignation

All 49 Smer-SD MPs fully stand behind their party mate Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák. Smer-SD caucus chairman Martin Glváč told journalists after the caucus session on Wednesday. When asked why Smer-SD officials resigned in late 2014 when faced with suspicions in the CT scanner case but not now, Glváč replied that the resignations were premature. The opposition is continuing in pressing the prime minister to remove the Interior Minister from his post. They are demanding his resignation due to large financial transactions linking him to businessman Ladislav Bašternák. On Monday, opposition MPs plan a protest in front of the upmarket Bonaparte housing complex where Prime Minister Robert Fico rents a flat. The complex is owned by businessman Ladislav Bašternák. The ruling SMER-SD MPs consider this case at the moment to be just a media ploy and the product of politicking.