Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová said that Prime Minister Igor Matovič should consider handing over the COVID-19 crisis management to some other member of his government. According to the head of state, the prime minister presents a false dilemma when he claims that the only way is either lockdown or widespread testing.
Čaputová also criticized the chaos surrounding the opening of schools.
“We lack a plan, we lack a clear procedure, we face chaos, and children are vassals of this chaos,” the president warned.
In Slovakia, some schools have organized testing and admitted secondary school children, but most schools continue to practice distance learning.
“We have a large group of children who do not have proper access to education,” Čaputová pointed out, adding that the right to education is guaranteed in the constitution.
Matovič returned the criticism
Matovič responded to the president’s call by saying that he could not resign from a position he did not have. He also criticized the head of state for questioning widespread testing and wanting it to be strictly voluntary.
“When the person with the most credibility in Slovakia says that further testing should be strictly voluntary, but the scientists claim that massive widespread testing is the right way go, then I really don’t know what to do. I am sorry that the president is joining such harsh criticism,“ said the prime minister of Slovakia.
No further widespread testing is planned in Slovakia, however, the prime minister repeatedly spoke about it and originally mentioned that it could happen even before Christmas, which is unrealistic now.
Title image: Slovakia’s President Zuzana Caputova delivers a speech as part of the ‘Austrian World Summit’ at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
