House to Debate Taraba Dismissal on 1 June

Bratislava, 28 May (TASR) - Parliament is set to debate an opposition-sponsored motion to dismiss Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (nominee of the Slovak National Party) on Monday, 1 June, from 9 a.m., TASR learnt from the Parliament's Office press department on Thursday. The dismissal motion was initiated by the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, which claims that Taraba has failed in his role, destroying nature and also jeopardising hundreds of millions of euros from the Recovery Plan. PS objects to the fact that the minister refuses to take responsibility for proposed zoning plans for national parks, claiming they were prepared by ministry nominees. The party also pointed out that Taraba no longer has the confidence of either the coalition's Slovak National Party, which nominated him, or of his closest associates at the Environment Ministry. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said on Monday after a meeting of the country's three top constitutional officials that if political trust between the Slovak National Party and its nominee Taraba is not restored by the end of September, a personnel change will take place at ministerial level. Taraba also stated that if no agreement with the Slovak National Party is reached by the end of September, he will resign as minister. mf