BRATISLAVA, March 20, (WEBNOVINY) — The [election winner] SMER-SD party has completed sixty percent of the list of new Cabinet ministers whereas the complete lineup should be published on Monday. SMER-SD chairman and designated Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed on Tuesday four names of candidates for ministerial posts, namely Miroslav Lajcak (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Marek Madaric (Culture Ministry), Robert Kalinak (Interior Ministry) and Peter Kazimir (Finance Ministry). “It is not a secret that SMER-SD is considering Zuzana Zvolenska to lead the Health Ministry. She has been engaged in the field all her professional life. We are not trying to install party members in executive offices at all cost,” said Fico. He would also like to put up an expert for the post of economy minister besides Lajcak, who is not a party member either. He still sees one or two ministries who could be steered by people who have been professionally involved in the field. “We could also find a professional for the Agriculture Ministry. We still need more time to make final decisions,” he added.
Fico has confirmed that the names of potential ministerial nominees disseminated in the media correspond to 50 to 60 percent of actual nominations. SMER leader declined to confirm whether Martin Glvac, against whom some reservations have been voiced within SMER-SD, was a nominee for the post of a justice minister. “Let’s evaluate nominees after they are officially put forward, only then it will be legitimate. It is too soon to screen anybody. Unless there are specific names written on paper and officially presented to the president, there is no need to specifically comment on these people, I believe,” said the designated prime minister.
The SMER leader is well aware of the fact that any human error in the office will have to be dealt with immediately with no space for discussion. “We are under immense pressure and under the microscope of the public. If somebody failed and we would go on discussing the matter for two weeks, the public would not buy that. Making personnel decisions will be exceptionally difficult for the prime minister,” observed Fico. In the selection process, he is therefore examining the potential for failure of nominees and their links to other people. “Media are rather preoccupied with these names. There may be some silver lining in that as some information we are not aware of may surface. We are proceeding step by step in quest of constituting a government that will bring calm and professional performance to Slovakia. We need a normal and decent government that will assume power,” said Fico.
SITA news agency reported on Friday last week that diplomat Miroslav Lajcak was expected to lead the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as he did two years ago in the first government of Robert Fico. At present, he is the head of European External Action Service (EEAS) department for relations with the western Balkans, Eastern Partnership and Russia. He was expected to announce his decision to accept the offer in Brussels last Friday. The second member of the new Cabinet who is not a member of SMER-SD is Jan Valko, who should be at the helm of the Economy Ministry. Peter Pellegrini is to lead the Defense Ministry.
Martin Glvac, former state secretary at the Construction Ministry in the first government of Robert Fico and head of SMER-SD regional structure in Bratislava, is mentioned as the new justice minister. Zuzana Zvolenska, formerly active in the health insurance company Dovera owned by Penta financial group should lead the Health Ministry, however, there are objections to her nomination within the party. Peter Ziga may become Environment Minister and Stanislav Becik Agriculture Minister. Becik headed the ministry also in the first government of Robert Fico, but as a nominee of the LS-HZDS party.
Former Interior Minister Robert Kalinak will likely to return to the post. Ex-Finance Minister Jan Pociatek is expected to stand at the helm of the Transport Ministry, which is responsible for drawing EU funds. The Education Ministry will probably be headed by Dusan Caplovic, and the Culture Ministry again by Marek Madaric. SMER-SD deputy chairman Peter Kazimir is expected to become the new Finance Minister. According to information available to SITA news agency, the posts of deputy prime minister should be canceled.
SITA