BRATISLAVA, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has approved Prime Minister Robert Fico's proposal to appoint Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova as deputy prime minister, the President's Office said on Wednesday.
The decree appointing Simkovicova, a nominee of the Slovak National Party (SNS), was delivered to the Culture Ministry on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR).
Fico justified the proposal by citing the coalition agreement, under which each party in the governing coalition is entitled to a deputy prime minister post. The SNS lost its post after Tomas Taraba was dismissed from the government last month.
The President's Office said that since Simkovicova is already a member of the government, it falls within the prime minister's remit to propose which minister should also serve as deputy prime minister.
Fico submitted the proposal to Pellegrini on Oct. 20.
Taraba previously served both as environment minister and deputy prime minister. Pellegrini dismissed him from both posts on Sept. 30, following a parliamentary vote of no confidence the previous day. Taraba subsequently returned to parliament, where he now serves as an independent lawmaker.
