Economy minister resigns, signals readiness to discuss economic crisis

Economy Minister Richard Sulik (Freedom and Solidarity, SaS) has resigned, tendering his letter of resignation to President Zuzana Caputova. Addressing the proposals that were presented by OLaNO on Wednesday to help the public, Sulik claimed that SaS is ready to hold talks on them, but only after Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) resigns as well. Earlier in the day Matovic signalled his readiness to resign from his post as well if the measures proposed by the OLaNO party to deal with the energy crisis are approved by Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) ministers. Other SaS ministers have also expressed their readiness to leave the government along with party leader Richard Sulik. Yesterday, however, Igor Matovic, writing on a social network, stated that he wants Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok (an SaS nominee) to remain in the Cabinet even if other SaS ministers resign. Prime Minister Heger has expressed the same, saying further that he wants the SaS party to remain in the coalition. He pointed to the difficult period ahead that awaits Slovakia and the whole of Europe. Meanwhile, in the wake of Sulik’s resignation, President Zuzana Caputova is set to meet both with Prime Minister Eduard Heger and Parliamentary Chair Boris Kollar at the presidential palace on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the coalition crisis, according to the president's spokesman Martin Strizinec.