Opposition deputies from the PS, SaS, and KDH parties have initiated a recall of Minister of the Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas-SD), planning to file a motion of no confidence this week. They criticize Šutaj Eštok for the current state of the Police Force, his failure to address bomb threats at schools, and accusations of bullying investigators and spreading hoaxes. At a press conference, MPs Michal Šimečka (PS) and Juraj Krúpa (SaS) expressed their concerns. "Matúš Šutaj Eštok is 'bad' for our country. It is bad for the security of our people," Šimečka stated, adding that with him in office, "it will not happen."
The opposition believes Šutaj Eštok should never have been appointed Minister of the Interior, citing a year of failures, including rising police officer departures and a deteriorating security situation. They also object to his proposal to introduce camera systems in schools. "Matúš Šutaj Eštok does not understand his job, he is not interested, and he does not know how to do the work of a minister," Krúpa added.
Further, the opposition argues that Šutaj Eštok should have taken political responsibility after the incident involving the accusation of a Košice police officer for killing a detained person. "I expected the minister to understand that this is about a higher political culture and that he should send a signal to society of basic respect for human life and resign," said Šimečka.
The KDH party also supports the recall, accusing Šutaj Eštok of incompetence and leading the Police Force toward collapse. They criticized him for not implementing necessary reforms and for the court settlement between Andrej Babiš and the Ministry of the Interior concerning unauthorized records. "The situation at the Ministry of the Interior is unsustainable, and the department needs to be replaced," the KDH added.
Independent MP Ľubomír Galko has also expressed his support, stating, "Matúš Šutaj Eštok should never have been the Minister of the Interior. The police force disintegrated under his management... and the result is three deaths in one week in connection with police interventions." MPs from the Slovakia movement also confirmed they would vote for the no-confidence motion, with Roman Mikulec stating, "Before that, however, we give him the opportunity to retain at least a shred of dignity and resign himself."
Source: TASR
