Monitor: President Ready for Factual and Constructive Debate with New Gov't

(RTVS, Sobotne dialogy, October 28) Speaking on RTVS's discussion programme 'Saturday Dialogues', President Zuzana Caputova stated she is prepared for a factual and constructive debate with the Government in the same way as with the previous cabinets. As for her decision not to appoint Rudolf Huliak to the post of Environment Minister but greenlight the appointment of Robert Kalinak as Defence Minister, Caputova pointed out that it's not her task to amend the will of the voters. She claimed that she had found no constitutional problems with any ministerial candidate other than Rudolf Huliak. "We're obligated to communicate and cooperate together because it is our duty to serve public, our citizens, and overcome our personal animosities, if any are present," said the President. Caputova added that post-election talks with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) were pragmatic, factual and professional. Fico's statements that Slovakia will stop its military aid to Ukraine under his Government came as no surprise to Caputova and she respects the stance of the Cabinet. However, she insists that the provision of the military aid was to the benefit of Slovakia's interests and has also improved Slovakia's reputation abroad. At the same time, Caputova voiced her appreciation for the fact that commercial and humanitarian aid for Ukraine is going to continue. The President doesn't consider as standard the manner in which police chief Stefan Hamran was ousted and doesn't believe it's worthy as a precedent in terms of political culture. [With three days to go before his resignation, Hamran hasn't got to meet the new Interior Minister, only received an order in writing to report to duty at a district police station in Poprad (Presov region), about 320 km away from the place where he lives in Komarno (Nitra region) - ed.note]. Caputova believes that the existence of Special Prosecutor's Office should be preserved, as its anti-corruption activities benefit the rule of law. mf