BRATISLAVA, April 20, (WEBNOVINY) — According to information available to SITA news agency, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova was ready to resign and leave the SDKU-DS party on Wednesday if the Tax Directorate head Miroslav Mikulcik stayed in his office. She supposedly spoke of this decision to SDKU-DS Chairman Mikulas Dzurinda as well, shortly before Mikulcik announced his resignation. “I don’t want to become a tool of any power struggle, whether it’s with the opposition, or within the coalition. I don’t want to cause conflict of the finance minister, whom I especially respect, with the prime minister. Today, I therefore decided to resign from my office,” Mikulcik informed the media. He also claimed to have demonstrably acted in public interest and fully in accordance with valid laws in the office building rent case.
Radicova missed the start of this Wednesday’s Cabinet session due to the fact that Mikulcik still remained in office. After Mikulcik resigned, Radicova came to attend the Cabinet session. “After meeting the coalition partners, I said that I will remain in the post of Slovak prime minister only if no shadow of doubt over transparency hangs about. Therefore, I acted today. The only possibility, how to wipe this shadow is Mr. Mikulcik leaving his office. This is what I insisted upon on Friday, Monday and Tuesday,” explained Radicova. She did not answer the question whether she threatened to resign – she just repeated that she will not lead a Cabinet with such shadow of doubt over transparency once again. “This Cabinet has pledged to be transparent. It was therefore unacceptable for me to continue in such way,” the prime minister added.
On Tuesday, the coalition agreed that SDKU-DS will assume responsibility for the case of the Kosice building of the Tax Directorate. The Supreme Audit Office was supposed to resolve the argument between Prime Minister Radicova and Finance Minister Ivan Miklos. Both agreed to submit to the results of the audit to the Tax Directorate rent contract.
The scandal broke out last week after it came to light that the company Nitra Invest of SDKU-DS district head in Nitra Ondrej Scurka rented a building to the Kosice Regional Tax Office for about EUR 6.6 million. The opposition rushed to accuse the SDKU of party cronyism and SMER-SD head Robert Fico demanded the head of minister Miklos, who nominated Mikulcik into his office.
According to SMER-SD Chairman Robert Fico, Mikulcik’s abdication is the peaking of Prime Minister Radicova‘s humiliation. As Fico stated at Wednesday’s news conference, SDKU-DS representatives have shown Radicova that she has no power and declassed her 10 to 1 this Tuesday with the 1 being a dropped goal of Minister Miklos. “Only Miklos could have ordered Mikulcik to resign,” underlined Fico. He also claims that no one was called to political accountability in the Tax Directorate building case. “Tax Directorate Director Miroslav Mikulcik’s resignation is no calling to political accountability. Mikulcik is a civil servant. Finance Minster Ivan Miklos bears political accountability and the Prime Minister should have sacked him. Radicova should therefore face a proposal of the opposition for her removal from office,” stated
SITA