Page 13 - bne_newspaper_March_23_2018

Central Europe
March 23, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 13
Slovak president appoints cabinet led by Peter Pellegrini
bne IntelliNews
Slovak President Andrej Kiska appointed Peter Pellegrini of the ruling Smer-SD party to the post of prime minister on March 22. Subsequently, Kiska also appointed the remaining members of the new government.
Pellegrini’s government replaces that headed by Robert Fico (also of Smer-SD) after the politi-
cal crisis caused by the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak in February. However, its manifesto has almost identical wording to the manifesto of Fico's former cabinet.
"The government that was appointed by the presi- dent today consists of exactly the same political parties that two years ago drew up the govern- ment manifesto and we want to meet the mani- festo to the very end," Pellegrini told journalists on his arrival at the new cabinet's first session.
For Pellegrini, it was important to start working as soon as possible. “We need to get back to work immediately, this country has been slightly paralysed for three weeks. Otherwise, the government would waste its precious time by updating the passages that have already been met," said Pellegrini.
Pellegrini said he hopes to stabilise the country after the deep political crisis. "We'll do our best to make the Slovak Republic a successful country, a good place to live and a country we can be proud of. We will do anything we can to make this hap- pen," stated the new prime minister.
President Andrej Kiska examines the list of cabinet members submitted by PM designate Peter Pellegrini.
Also crucial will be the changes in the leadership of the Slovak police. Pressure on the president of the police was mounting during the crisis. Doubts were raised when information leaked that during the examinations of the bodies of Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova, a pathologist and not a forensic examiner was called.
Gaspar was also criticised for the way he in- formed media and the public about the case, and for divulging unrelated speculations about the murder. He stopped after Jaromir Ciznar, the general procurator, put an information embargo on the case.
According to Kiska, the leadership of the police should change. Kiska added that newly appointed Interior Minister Tomas Drucker (a Smer-SD nominee) agreed with him.
“I want to meet police corps president Tibor Gaspar as soon as possible,” said Drucker. "The president made a statement and I made mine. I want to hold talks and I'm ready to be decisive. That's clear," added the new interior minister.
Kiska added that "a month has passed since the terrible murder. Over this month many strong words have been said about the state of our so- ciety, about the trust in institutions whose job it is to provide justice and protect the foundations of our state. Too many words have been said, but very little has been done to calm the atmosphere in society."