Slovak president to appoint new gov't

BRATISLAVA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Slovak President Andrej Kiska will appoint the new government of Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini on Thursday, the head of state announced after meeting with the new members of cabinet on Wednesday.

"I'm not completely happy with the names at the helm of some ministries. But as the head of state, I won't step over the line defined by the Constitution and constitutional practice," stressed Kiska.

Kiska said that three weeks ago when the cabinet of outgoing Prime Minister Robert Fico was imploding and it wasn't clear whether the coalition would survive, Kiska pledged his readiness to steer the country through the political crisis and complex situation in the wake of the murders of Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee.

"Aware of this responsibility, I employed the powers of the President to the limit of the constitutional practice and options available. I rejected the first proposal to appoint the next cabinet," claimed Kiska.

As part of the personnel reshuffling, aside from the new prime minister, Richard Rasi will become new vice-premier for investments and informatization, Tomas Drucker will take over the interior minister post, Andrea Kalavska becomes the new health minister, Lubica Lassakova, culture minister, and Gabor Gal, justice minister. Enditem