BRATISLAVA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Slovak President Peter Pellegrini on Monday approved Prime Minister Robert Fico's request to withdraw a proposal to dismiss Environment Minister Tomas Taraba, according to the President's Office.
"The President's Office today received a letter from the prime minister asking the president to withdraw his proposal to dismiss Environment Minister Tomas Taraba. The president has granted this request," the office's press department said.
Fico, leader of the Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party, had submitted the proposal to Pellegrini in mid-September. He withdrew it on Monday, citing the need to ensure the stability of the government and preserve its parliamentary majority.
Fico said that if Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko and Taraba fail to resolve their dispute, he is prepared to call an early parliamentary election in January 2027.
The dispute between Danko and Taraba has raised questions over whether the governing coalition can maintain its parliamentary majority. Taraba has indicated that he could return to Parliament as an independent lawmaker if he leaves the government. His move could further weaken Fico's coalition, which has only a narrow majority in the 150-seat Parliament, potentially making it harder for the government to pass legislation.
The SNS has called for Taraba's dismissal, saying that there have been no substantive discussions with the minister for a long time, including on key documents prepared by his ministry. SNS also called on Taraba on Monday to honor a pledge that he made to the prime minister and Danko and resign on Sept. 30. If he refuses to do so, the party said it would seek his dismissal in parliament.
Taraba, an SNS nominee, said he was the only minister in Slovakia's history whose dismissal had been sought for doing his job.
Meanwhile, opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS) plans to submit a motion in parliament on Tuesday for the immediate consideration of Taraba's dismissal. ■
