Culture Minister Marek Maďarič will resign as Smer party vice-chairman at the next session of the party. The Minister announced this on Wednesday before the session of the Government.
“It was my decision, which is in line with my idea of political culture,” Maďarič reasoned. At the same time he confirmed that he will continue in his position of Culture Minister. Maďarič’s decision is related to the failure of his party boss Robert Fico in the March presidential election. Maďarič led his election campaign team. After the election he stated that he bears “a big responsibility for the election outcome,” and that he should be held accountable. Maďarič‘s resignation from the post of Smer party vice-chairman is a way of covering the candidate Fico's back, claims analyst Martin Klus. “He's resigned, so that Fico wouldn't have to do it,” stated Klus, adding that Fico’s resigning would have been a standard move in a standard democracy. Analyst Jan Baranek agrees with this claiming that Maďarič isn’t the only one to blame for Fico's defeat to Andrej Kiska, as the candidate himself should bear responsibility for it.
