Agriculture Minister to substitute missing Education Minister

President Andrej Kiska accepted the resignation of Education Minister Peter Plavčan on Thursday, and appointed Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matečná (a Slovak National Party nominee) as acting minister of education, science, research and development, and sports. Matečná is set to manage the Education Ministry on a temporary basis as of September 1 and wishes first and foremost to calm down the situation in the department. On Wednesday, she stated that she did not intend to introduce any significant changes. "Do not expect any breakthrough actions, since I'm not an expert and I'll manage the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry in the first place," said Matečná. Meanwhile, she told the media that she would not be in Slovakia at the beginning of the school year, as she would be attending an informal EU Council session in Estonia to discuss the issue of contaminated Dutch eggs. With Matečná away, it is not clear who will deliver the opening speech marking the beginning of the new school year on September 4.