President Pellegrini to dismiss Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini is expected to dismiss Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba within the coming week. The dismissal follows a proposal submitted by Prime Minister Robert Fico. Pellegrini, currently on a working visit to the United States, indicated that he will act on the request upon his return.

There is currently no official successor named by the Prime Minister. Pellegrini suggested that if a suitable candidate is not proposed in the coming days, he may temporarily appoint Fico to lead the ministry. This would allow more time to find a candidate who can stabilize the department and resolve ongoing political disputes.

The political tension stems from disagreements within the ruling coalition. SNS leader Andrej Danko has called for Taraba's removal, accusing him of taking sole credit for successes while blaming the party for failures. While Taraba is expected to leave his ministerial post, he is expected to remain part of the governing coalition as an independent Member of Parliament.

Filip Kuffa, the current State Secretary, has been proposed by SNS as a potential replacement. Kuffa has already held discussions with Prime Minister Fico regarding the future of the ministry, though no final decision has been reached.