Chairman of the Government of the Slovak Republic Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky |
|
---|---|
Residence | Summer Archbishop's Palace |
Appointer | President |
Term length | The Prime minister's term of office depends on support of the National Council. |
Inaugural holder | Štefan Sádovský |
Formation | 2 January 1969 |
Website | http://www.vlada.gov.sk/ |
The Chairman of the Government of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky), also known as the Prime Minister (Slovak: Premiér), is the head of the Government of Slovakia. On paper he is the third highest constitutional official in Slovakia after the President of Slovakia and the Speaker of the National Council. In practice, he is the country's leading political figure.
The office itself was created in 1969 and since then there has been 14 prime ministers serving in the office. Since 1993, when independent Slovakia emerged, seven prime ministers (five individuals only) have been serving in the office. On April 4, 2012, Robert Fico became the 7th and current prime minister.
The office of Prime Minister was established in 1969 by the Constitutional Law of Federation. However, a similar office had existed from 1918 when various officials were presiding over executive bodies governing the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia or the Slovak state respectively. From 1993, when the independent Slovak Republic was established, there have been five persons to hold the office. From 2012 the current Prime Minister is Robert Fico.
Since Slovakia is a parliamentary republic the Prime Minister is accountable to the National Council. The Slovak Constitution provides that upon the accession to the office each Prime Minister must gain and thereafter maintain the confidence of the Parliament. As soon as the Prime Minister loses the confidence, the President is obliged to dismiss him and designate a new Prime Minister or entrust the dismissed Prime Minister to act as a caretaker with limited powers.