If Environment Minister Viliam Turský, a ministerial nominee of the Slovak National Party (SNS), doesn't personally attend the ceremony to dismiss him from office due to be held on Friday, August 28, Prime Minister Robert Fico expects him to sign the dismissal decrees the same day instead, Fico's spokesperson Silvia Glendová announced on August 27.
SNS spokesperson Jana Benková said on Thursday that Turský was still in hospital and had undergone further examinations. She also said that the party would not comment on any pressure exerted by its coalition partner (i.e. Fico's Smer party).
No Slovak minister has been dismissed in absentia to date, political analyst Peter Horváth told the TASR newswire, adding that Turský is also the first minister to block a dismissal in this way. According to Horváth, the situation isn't good for Slovakia's political culture. He also described it as undignified. Horvath said that it is now up to Turský to let the public have more detailed information concerning his state of health. If he doesn't do this, there will be suspicions that he is simply delaying his dismissal on purpose.
According to President Ivan Gašparovič's spokesperson Marek Trubač, the president doesn't have any problem when it comes to dismissing Turský, but Gašparovič would prefer to wait until Turský is released from hospital. Turský was admitted to hospital on Wednesday night, reporting that he had slipped on a wooden floor and injured his head. Fico had announced the day before that he intended to dismiss him and not allow the SNS to nominate his ministerial successor, pointing to its repeated inability to manage its tasks.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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