Korčok may soon quit as foreign minister. Who will then safeguard Slovakia's foreign policy line?

Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) is on its way out of the government. Even though the four parties that make up the cabinet of Eduard Heger are still holding talks on a possible compromise, observers see little chance for SaS ministers staying in Heger's cabinet.

Based on the ultimatum that SaS issued when it withdrew from the coalition agreement in early July, its four ministers will leave the cabinet on September 1 unless OĽaNO leader Igor Matovič quits as finance minister. If they do leave, PM Heger (OĽaNO) will need to assign four new ministers to cover the economy, education, justice, and foreign affairs departments.

New chief of diplomacy during "acute time"

The latter raises concerns among foreign policy experts, since diplomacy plays a crucial role in Slovakia’s response to the war in Ukraine and the current minister of foreign affairs, Ivan Korčok, a career diplomat nominated for the post by SaS, has been seen as a guarantee for Slovakia's Euro-Atlantic foreign policy line.