Slovakian president accepts Prime Minister Fico's resignation

Slovakian Prime Minister Fico offers to resign amid a journalist's murder scandal. President Kiska says he will entrust the formation of a new government to Deputy Prime Minister Pellegrini.

President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska attends a news conference after a meeting with Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, March 15, 2018.
AFP

President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska attends a news conference after a meeting with Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, March 15, 2018.

Slovakia's President Andrej Kiska said on Thursday he will ask Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini to form a new government after the premier said he would resign following a public backlash over an investigative journalist's murder.

"I will entrust Mr Pellegrini with forming the new government as soon as I receive the resignation of the current government of (Prime Minister Robert) Fico," Kiska told reporters. 

Murder scandal

Prime Minister Robert Fico, 53, has been struggling to get on top of the scandal sparked by last month's deadly shooting of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee at their home near Bratislava.

Police said Kuciak's death was "most likely" related to his investigation on ties between Slovakia's top politicians and Italy's 'Ndrangheta mafia.

The murder and Kuciak's article, published after his death, sparked a wave of anti-government sentiment in Slovakia, an EU and NATO member of 5.4 million people.

The premier's ruling coalition was facing a no-confidence vote by lawmakers scheduled for next Monday. 

Interior Minister Robert Kalinak and Culture Minister Marek Madaric already resigned earlier this week in a bid to save the government from collapsing.

Fico has been in power since 2012. He is known abroad for his anti-immigrant stance.

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