Slovak Minister Claims Secret Talks Between Parliament Speaker and Opposition Party

Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba alleged that National Council Speaker Andrej Danko has been secretly negotiating with the opposition Progressive Slovakia party, and claimed that Prime Minister Robert Fico already has a replacement candidate ready. Taraba described a clandestine meeting where Danko and MP Martin Kuffa allegedly discussed his potential dismissal from the government. Progressive Slovakia has denied any negotiations with Danko, who leads the Slovak National Party (SNS), a nationalist party that forms part of Fico's ruling coalition alongside the social-democratic Smer-SD party. The allegations suggest internal tensions within Slovakia's governing coalition, as ministers apparently engage in behind-the-scenes discussions about cabinet changes while opposition parties reject any cooperation with coalition partners.