Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic has agreed to resign under certain conditions. With his resignation, he hopes to end a conflict in the governing coalition over corona vaccines. More than a week ago, Minister Marek Krajci of Public Health resigned for the same reason.
Matovic is willing to give up his premiership and only remain as minister in the future, TASR news agency reported. He has set the condition that Economy Minister Richard Sulik and Justice Minister Maria Kolikova, who are in the government on behalf of two of four coalition parties, also leave. “We believe it is absolutely necessary for Richard Sulik to leave the government to bring peace to the cabinet,” Matovic said on behalf of his Olano party.
The coalition came under pressure when Matovic’s government ordered a batch of the Russian corona vaccine Sputnik-V without consultation. This drug has not yet been approved in the EU and Matovic’s coalition partners would rather have awaited approval.
Hospitals in Slovakia are under severe pressure and a relatively large number of residents die from COVID-19. The badly hit neighboring country the Czech Republic has also placed an order in Moscow. The Sputnik V vaccine is already in use in Hungary and Serbia.
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