FILE PHOTO: Slovakia’s President Andrej Kiska reacts after a meeting of Slovakia’s three top officials at the Bratislava castle, Bratislava, Slovakia March 9, 2018. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa
March 15, 2018
BRATISLAVA (Reuters) – Slovak President Andrej Kiska supports Prime Minister Robert Fico’s offer to resign on condition that his party be allowed to pick the next government leader, a junior party in the ruling coalition said on Thursday.
Fico has offered to step down if his leftist Smer party be allowed to choose his successor, as his government seeks to ease a political crisis sparked by the murder of a journalist. Kiska has not officially reacted to the offer.
“After yesterday’s decision of the three coalition partners we informed the president,” Most-Hid party chief Bela Bugar told a news conference. “There will be a resignation and Smer as the strongest party will pick a candidate for prime minister. Of course, the president agreed.”
(Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Writing by Jason Hovet; Editing by Hugh Lawson)