Slovak prime minister seeks deal to keep government together as economy minister resigns

(Reuters) – Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger sought to defuse a coalition row threatening his government’s parliamentary majority on Wednesday by offering to replace his finance minister if parliament passed measures to protect the public from inflation.

His junior coalition partner, the liberal SaS party, has pressed for the ouster of Finance Minister Igor Matovic since July, threatening to quit the coalition if he had not left by the end of August.

Heger said Matovic, who has clashed with SaS leader Richard Sulik, could resign, if measures proposed by his OLANO ruling party to ease the burden of inflation secured approval first.

Sulik said in response that he was ready to discuss the measures, but only once Matovic left the government.

“We are requesting the fulfillment of our demand, and that is the exit of Igor Matovic,” Sulik said.

Sulik also tendered his own resignation as economy minister but asked the SaS party’s other ministers to wait until Monday.

That gives time for more talks as Heger seeks to avoid the crippling loss of the government’s majority in parliament if SaS leaves the coalition, although the risk of early elections was still distant.

“We have come up with a proposal for very concrete measures to help people… which we are putting to SaS in particular,” Heger told a news conference.

“We are presenting them because we need a solid coalition, we need them to be approved by the government and parliament.

“And if these measures are approved, Igor Matovic will accept Richard Sulik’s challenge and will leave his position.”

The row comes at a difficult time for Slovakia, which is stepping up support for neighbour Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion and also dealing with a European energy crisis caused by concerns over Russian gas supplies.

The government’s collapse or early elections were still unlikely because of the time it would take to enact legislation to dissolve parliament and call a new vote. The next election is scheduled for February 2024.

Sulik has often battled Matovic, who is the OLANO party leader. Matovic was also prime minister before swapping jobs with Heger to end a coalition spat last year when he purchased Russian-made coronavirus vaccinations, surprising coalition partners.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet and Robert Muller; Editing by Gareth Jones and Philippa Fletcher)