Education Minister Dušan Čaplovič and Economy Minster Tomáš Malatinský resigned from their posts on July 2, 2014. The education ministers’ decision was published via the press office of Ministry of Education and it states that the resignation followed the mutual agreement with Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Dušan Čaplovič also mentioned that he would continue accomplishing the programme statement of the Government of the Slovak Republic, actively perform in parliament and also cooperate with Prime Minister. Dušan Čaplovič will be replaced by Peter Pellegrini, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.
Tomáš Malatinský, who is not a member of the Smer party, will be replaced by Pavol Pavlis, the 1st State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic. Malatinský also mentioned that he and Prime Minister had agreed to continue working on some issues, e.g., National Property Fund. According to SME daily, he will work as an advisor of Prime Minister.
Both the changes are claimed by the Smer-SD party as a natural part in the personal and manifesto modifications, as there has been recorded a pemanent fall in preferences due to results in the Slovak Presidential elections and in the European Parliament elections.
By Albert Kulla