František Hideghety will not become head of the Slovak Land Fund (SPF), as the vice-chairman of Most-Hid party and Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon withdrew Hideghety’s nomination at the government session on September 8, the TASR newswire reported.
Prime Minister Iveta Radičová told a press conference following the session that the action was taken at her behest and that of Hideghety. Most-Híd is now expected to put forward a new candidate for the post. The leader of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Ján Figeľ embraced what he called a “sensible response”, as Hideghety's nomination had raised doubts among some coalition MPs. Simon noted that Hideghety decided to withdraw after criticism was heaped on him.
The post of SPF director will continue to be held for the moment by Ján Ilavský who was nominated in December 2009 by Smer party.
Hideghety had held the post of SPF chairman between 2003 and 2007 as a nominee of the ethnic-Hungarian SMK party. The Sme daily reported in its September 8 edition that Hideghety's name was linked to several thorny decisions concerning land transfers, which was why KDH and Radičová had objections to his nomination.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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