BRATISLAVA - Slovakian MPs on Thursday passed a no-confidence motion against the centrist minority government of Prime Minster Eduard Heger, in a vote initiated by his former liberal ally.

The vote was passed by 78 MPs out of 150, and came three months after the governing coalition lost its parliamentary majority.

Mr Richard Sulik, leader of the Freedom and Solidarity Party – which left the governing coalition three months ago – said that his party would “support the reconstruction of the government.”

He told reporters that Mr Heger’s government had “lost confidence”.

Mr Sulik said his party was particularly opposed to finance minister Igor Matovic remaining in the Cabinet.

Mr Matovic, also a former prime minister, had offered to resign earlier on Thursday to avoid the no-confidence vote, but the liberal party had rejected the offer.

In September, several liberal ministers in the Cabinet resigned, losing the governing coalition’s majority in parliament.

But the no-confidence vote does not necessarily mean that early elections have to be held.

Under the constitution, Slovakia can continue to be led by the current government until a new group of ministers are appointed by the president.

President Zuzana Caputova can choose to install an interim government, or reappoint Mr Heger as prime minister.

The centre-right government of the EU country of 5.4 million won the 2020 general election with an anti-graft programme. AFP