Interior Minister Sutaj Estok Survives No-confidence Motion

Bratislava, November 29 (TASR) - Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) on Wednesday survived the opposition's attempt to oust him via a no-confidence vote, with only 61 of the 136 MPs present voting in favour of his dismissal.

The opposition, which needed at least 76 votes to succeed in its effort, wanted the minister dismissed for recent purges in the police top brass and for breaking the law by suspending investigators who enjoy the status of protected whistleblowers. It also criticised recent measures on the Slovak-Hungarian border, calling them pointless theatrics.

Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared that Sutaj Estok enjoys his confidence and that his cabinet was against the no-confidence motion in the minister.

Meanwhile, Sutaj Estok insisted that he acted in line with the law when he suspended the investigators, stressing that they have been charged, which is why he decided for the move. According to him, the motion was unfounded and the opposition's arguments were a farce.