Following the exit of the Freedom and Solidarity party from the coalition, Prime Minister Eduard Heger considers it to be important that the vacant posts should be filled by people who will be able to ensure the proper running of the ministries. In the past days, news outlets have published names of independent experts who were supposedly asked to fill in the vacant posts. On Wednesday, PM Heger did not want to specify the names of potential ministers. Neither did he specify whether they have already been agreed. However, he stated that the Government would bear the political responsibility for the experts who are supposed to replace the Freedom and Solidarity ministers, adding that political parties in the coalition should not divide up the vacant ministries.
According to Finance Minister Igor Matovic, the Government should continue as a combination of caretaker and classic Cabinet. Matovic also underlined that the ministries must be led not only by persons with relevant expertise but also by capable managers. By nominating impartial experts, the OLaNO party wishes to signal it is not running after the vacant posts.
Negotiations on new ministers are still ongoing, so far nothing has been concluded, Vice-premier and Investments Minister Veronika Remisova (For the People) said during the Government meeting on Wednesday. According to Remisova, as well as Labour Minister Milan Krajniak from the We are Family party, adjustments will be made also to the coalition agreement. Krajniak expects an addendum to the coalition agreement or that a new one will be signed. The Labour Minister also noted that there will be an effort to have all vacant ministerial seats filled by consensus, so that everyone in the coalition agrees.
Following the summer coalition crisis post of Economy, Justice, Foreign and Education ministers were left vacant by the Freedom and Solidarity part, which left the coalition.
Source: TASR
