BRATISLAVA - Slovak Deputy Premier for Economy Ivan Miklos easily survived an opposition-led no-confidence vote last Thursday that had threatened to bring down the reformist government of Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda. Uncertainty over whether Miklos would survive the vote, initiated by former authoritarian Premier Vladimir Meciar‘s HZDS party, had reigned until Wednesday, as two of the ruling coalition‘s five parties had withheld their support for him.

Dzurinda had told his coalition partners he would resign — which would mean the end of his government — if the motion was successful. Miklos is Dzurinda‘s closest ally and the architect of the government‘s economic reform programme. But the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL), which has sharply criticised Miklos and is currently wrangling for a wide-scale cabinet reshuffle, broke its silence and told its deputies to abstain from the vote, giving Miklos the edge. From 131 deputies present, 58 voted to support Miklos and 55 against, with 17 abstaining. Tensions have risen in recent weeks in the ruling coalition as the reformed-communist SDL and the leftist Party of Civic Understanding (SOP), have stepped up criticism of Miklos‘s belt-tightening economic reforms which they say hurt Slovak citizens.

Both parties called last week for a wide-scale reshuffle of the cabinet that analysts say could possibly touch another key reformist, SDL member and Finance Minister Brigita Schmognerova. SDL has threatened to leave the coalition if its calls are ignored. But Dzurinda said on Thursday after the failed ouster-attempt that he thought the coalition‘s support for Miklos could be a sign of easing turmoil. „I was pleased by the result of the vote. I‘m convinced that this could be the beginning of improvement of relations in the coalition, and restoration of common trust,“ he told reporters. Miklos is seen as the key architect of reform in Dzurinda‘s government, which has striven, since coming to power in 1998, to clean up the murky economic and political image that Slovakia had under Meciar‘s rule.

The five coalition parties from both sides of the political spectrum have maintained a shaky alliance, surviving various attempts by the Meciar-led opposition to call early elections, including a no-confidence vote against Dzurinda supported by SDL Chairman Jozef Migas last year. REUTERS