(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. The Wednesday, August 24 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Economy minister to step down next week
Economy Minister Richard Sulík attends a government meeting on August 24, 20222. (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
Economy Minister Richard Sulík (SaS) has announced that he will resign next Wednesday, as he does not see any progress in reaching a solution to the current political crisis.
The SaS party insists on the removal of Finance Minister Igor Matovič, who is also head of the strongest coalition party, OĽaNO, from the ministerial chair. SaS blames Matovič for the mismanagement of public finances and attacks on Sulík and others, including Justice Minister Mária Kolíková (SaS).
PM Eduard Heger's recent proposals on how to improve the workings of the coalition has been welcomed by SaS, but they are not considered to be enough.
"Based on all signals, this [finance minister's removal] will not happen, so on August 31 I will resign from the government," Sulík said.
Other ministers and state secretaries for the SaS party will follow his suit.
SaS voters, however, appear to be split when it comes to the party's departure from the government.
Four coalition parties should meet again later this week, but Heger is not expected to announce the dismissal of Matovič, his party leader.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website:
Extremism: Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka has refused to disband ĽSNS, an extremist party, but experts disapprove of his decision.
Trip: A water experience trail in Oborín, eastern Slovakia.
Investment: Bosch, a Germany firm, plans to create thousands of new jobs in eastern Slovakia, Economy Minister Richard Sulík said.
OPINION FOR WEDNESDAY
Invaded Ukraine marks Independence Day
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen marches alongside a giant Ukrainian flag unfurled during an event for Ukrainian Independence Day in the historical Grand Place of Brussels on August 24, 2022. (source: AP Photo - Virginia Mayo)
On August 24, a day after Slovakia announced that it would pass its military vehicles on to Ukraine, Slovakia’s eastern neighbour marks Independence Day.
The country became independent 31 years ago.
At the same time, August 24 marks exactly six months into Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová confirmed Slovakia's support for Ukraine at the Crimea Platform Summit on Tuesday, August 23. Her words of support at the summit were later repeated by other Slovak officials on their social media pages.
People and leaders around the world, including in the EU and the USA, have been supporting the Ukrainians in many different ways since the invasion.
"We stand with Ukraine because it is the right thing to do," Nicholas Namba, the charge d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia, writes for The Slovak Spectator.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
The Education Ministry has announced new calls through which the ministry will support projects in three different areas: more places in primary schools and kindergartens, reducing barriers for students living with a disability in secondary schools, and the elimination of a double-shift system in schools.
Rudolf Kusý, mayor of Nové Mesto, a Bratislava borough, will run for the Bratislava mayor in the autumn municipal election.
The government approved a draft law that creates a new entity for the protection of professional soldiers - the military ombudsman.
The "Help Slovalco" initiative held a protest outside the Government Office in Bratislava on August 24, 2022. The Slovalco aluminium plant in central Slovakia has announced it will close for at least a year due to rising energy prices and little help from the government. (source: TASR - Pavel Neubauer)
Smer, an opposition party, delivered boxes full of sheets of paper signed by 406,000 people to the Presidential Palace on Wednesday. The party wants to initiate a snap election referendum. The party's previous attempt failed after President Zuzana Čaputová turned to the Constitutional Court.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
