Prime Minister Iveta Radičová on April 18 confirmed that she and Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš (both from the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ)) differ in their views regarding the Tax Directorate general director’s share of responsibility for a questioned rental agreement for offices of the directorate in Košice, the TASR newswire reported.
"I've asked the SDKÚ chairman (Mikuláš Dzurinda) to call a session of the party's presidium as the views of the Finance Minister and me are diverging when it comes to the Tax Directorate general director's responsibility," reads a statement released by Radičová. Radičová urged Mikulčík on April 16 take responsibility for the controversy, indirectly calling for his resignation. On April 18, however, Mikloš said that he continued to trust Mikulčík and called on him to stay in his post.
Radičová's position was echoed by the co-governing Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) on April 18. The head of its parliamentary caucus, Pavol Hrušovský, said that there is no reason why Mikulčík should disobey the prime minister's call for his resignation.
Hrušovský said it is not important to KDH at this point whether Mikulčík enjoys Mikloš's trust, adding that the party ascribes more importance to what Hrušovský called Radicova's determined stance. He stated that KDH will request Mikloš to provide further explanation on the issue.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
