Danko: Filip Kuffa Close to Becoming Environment Minister

Bratislava, 2 October (TASR) - The government intends to finalise its choice of environment minister next week, with Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Andrej Danko stating that Deputy Environment Minister Filip Kuffa is set to be given the nod. Danko declared this after his meeting on Friday with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and a session of the coalition council. "I had talks with the prime minister, and now I will also hold talks with Mr. Kuffa. On Monday [5 October], final personnel changes should take place at the level of the general secretary of the service office at the Environment Ministry and others. And we agreed that we'll finalise the choice of the minister on Tuesday [6 October] or Wednesday [7 October]," stated Danko. The coalition council met at the Government Office on Friday to discuss the draft state budget. The meeting was convened by the prime minister, who also held talks with the SNS chair on the same day about staffing the Environment Ministry. On Wednesday (30 September), Fico said he was prepared to resolve the appointment of the head of the ministry in cooperation with the SNS. Kuffa confirmed on Thursday (1 October) that he is the party's only candidate. Former environment minister Tomas Taraba was dismissed by President Peter Pellegrini on Wednesday. He was removed after Parliament passed a motion of no confidence in him the previous day, with the president temporarily entrusting the prime minister with running the ministry. The opposition, together with SNS, succeeded in passing the no-confidence motion against Taraba. An open dispute between SNS and its nominee Taraba had lasted several months. At SNS's request, the prime minister eventually submitted a proposal to the president in mid-September to dismiss Taraba. He subsequently withdrew it, citing the risk of the coalition losing its parliamentary majority. SNS described the move as a breach of the coalition agreement. mf/df