Peter Pellegrini asked Robert Fico, on Wednesday, to reassess the proposal to appoint Filip Kuffa environment minister. He said that was not a decision not to appoint him. A request. Not a refusal of appointment. Dump Seznam / ČTK.

The reason, in Seznam: a criminal investigation opened at the ministry, which could touch Kuffa as deputy. TASR, in the president’s words: police confirmed an inquiry into suspected rigging of procurement, mismanagement of another’s property, money-laundering, possible abuse of office. Nobody can say now whether the inquiry ends in a charge against Kuffa. Presumption of innocence. Not an indictment.

TASR: Pellegrini sent an official letter and asked for a new name. Until then, Fico stays in interim charge of the ministry. Seznam: it is not the decision not to appoint him. Two phrasings. The same act: he asks the prime minister to change the proposal. It is not a decree of refusal.

Fico took note. He is bound by the coalition agreement: the name comes from SNS. He will meet Andrej Danko in the coming days. Danko, on a recording: once the government is formed, the president cannot return the proposal; Kuffa has a clean record. That is SNS’s position. It is not a constitutional ruling.

Taraba fell on a no-confidence vote at the end of September. That is the background. It is not today’s vote. Kuffa is the SNS nominee, not a serving minister.

Dump Seznam / ČTK. The rewrite rests on Seznam and TASR.

Image: Grassalkovich Palace, Bratislava, 16 August 2016, Uhooep, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The presidential residence, not Fico’s office.

Sources consulted: President Asks Premier to Propose New Candidate for Environment Minister — TASR.