INTERIOR Minister Vladimír Palko fired police union boss Miroslav Litva from his post as director of the ministry’s scientific and technical development section, following a police protest on October 25.
Litva will now become a regular police officer, the Pravda daily reported.
Officers were protesting against what they perceive as low wages compared to professional soldiers in Slovakia. According to Palko, Litva misled officers about the wages and therefore lost his confidence.
"I accept the right of police officers to organize gatherings, but the police protest was without foundation because for a wage hike for the police officers was already approved two weeks ago,” said Palko.
Litva responded to his dismissal by saying he was in a similar situation in 1997 when then PM Vladimír Mečiar asked him to consider his position with the police.
Politicians, including coalition partners, consider Palko's decision to be improper.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
