Covid19 will not impede government from fighting corruption – Slovakia PM

The new Slovak government will focus on fighting corruption, improving economic competitiveness and restoring people’s trust in the state, the cabinet said in a programme declaration that it approved on Sunday.

The document is the basis for an initial vote of confidence in parliament – a constitutional requirement within 30 days of a government taking offfice – which will start debating the plans on Monday.

“Despite the current (coronavirus) crisis, cleaning up of Slovakia and promised changes must not wait… It is the most ambitious plan how to make Slovakia better,” said Prime Minister Igor Matovic.

The four-party coalition government led by Igor Matovic, 46, took office on March 21 amid a national emergency in the euro zone country caused by the new coronavirus outbreak.

Matovic’s politically amorphous Ordinary People (PLANO) party won the February election with a quarter of votes on a wave of discontent with alleged corruption, unseating the centre-left Smer party which ruled the country of 5.5 million for 12 of the past 14 years.