In light of the recent affair over an alleged crony rental contract, which caused a rift between PM Iveta Radicova and finance minister Ivan Miklos, eventually director general of the Tax Directorate, Miroslav Mikulcik, stood down from his post yesterday.
Mikulcik, who still claims he has always acted within the law, put his decision down to his refusal to be used as a pawn in power games for the opposition bench or within the coalition itself. He said he had no right to cause trouble either for finance minister Ivan Miklos or PM Iveta Radicova and so had decided to resign.
PM Radicova welcomed the news, saying his resignation was the only way to clear up suspicions of cronyism and a lack of transparency concerning the case. Earlier in the week the PM had said once again that she would not head a government where there were any doubts over its transparency.
Even so, Robert Fico’s opposition party Smer-SD will likely continue to witch-hunt the Prime Minister and go ahead with its petition for a vote of no-confidence at the next parliamentary session after Easter.
For a complete background to the affair, click here