Slovak PM to quit, swap role with finance minister to end crisis

Igor Matovic’s move comes after disputes with coalition partners about a secret deal to buy Russia’s coronavirus vaccine Sputnik-V.

Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic has said he will step down and swap roles with Finance Minister Eduard Heger, a proposal that could help resolve a month-long government crisis triggered by a secret deal to buy Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. The political crisis erupted when a secret deal came to light three weeks ago involving Slovakia’s agreement to acquire two million doses of the jab. Slovakia is part of the 27-nation European Union, which has not authorised the Russian offering yet. Matovic offered to resign last week but gave a long list of conditions, including that all his critics in the coalition should leave government.