* Environment minister sacked over carbon deal
* Sixth minister to leave cabinet over suspected graft
By Peter Laca
BRATISLAVA, May 5 (Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert
Fico said on Tuesday he would fire his environment minister for
mishandling a greenhouse emissions sale, the second sacking of a
cabinet member in two months amid allegations of cronyism.
The dismissal of Jan Chrbet comes after weeks of media and
opposition criticism of a contract to sell 10 million tonnes of
carbon emission allowances to a little-known U.S. company.
Slovakia received around 60 million euros ($80 mln) from the
Washington-based Interblue Group, but the opposition Christian
Democrat SDKU faction said the state lost at least 40 million
euros in the deal because the price was below market value.
Slovakia's largest daily, Sme, and the weekly Trend
publication, had reported links between Interblue and the
minister's far-right Slovak National Party (SNS). The junior
ruling coalition faction has denied any connection.
Chrbet argued the contract was the best Slovakia could get,
but subsequently cancelled the deal amid mounting criticism.
"I don't need a minister hiding behind the government's
skirt," Fico told reporters.
"I am not dismissing this minister because it would be
clearly proven that the contract is good or bad, that must still
be examined. I am dismissing him because he failed politically."
Chrbet said Slovakia would now refund the 60 million euros
it received from Interblue under the terms of the deal.
Fico, in power since 2006 with an agenda to take better care
of the poor, has been under increasing pressure from the
opposition and media for what they say are murky contracts.
Chrbet is the eighth minister to leave the cabinet since
Fico came to power. Six of them left or were sacked after graft
allegations, but none has faced criminal charges.
In April, Fico told the regional development minister to
quit for allegedly botching a 120 million euro tender related to
handling European Union funds. The tender prompted the bloc's
executive arm to start legal procedures against Slovakia
[].
FIGHTING CORRUPTION
New EU members from central and Eastern Europe have been
struggling to root out corruption since the fall of communism 20
years ago. Last year, the EU froze millions of euros in aid to
Bulgaria because of corruption and crime.
The global corruption watchdog, Transparency International,
said Fico was right to sack Chrbet, but added Slovakia was not
making enough effort to fight corruption.
"We don't see efforts for reforms which would more seriously
curb room for corruption," said Emilia Sicakova-Beblava, head of
Transparency International Slovakia.
Analysts said perceived corruption combined with rising
unemployment has hurt Fico's support among voters, though he
remains by far the most popular politician in the country of 5.4
million.
They said he had sacked the ministers to limit the impact on
his popularity ahead of next year's general election.
"The disputed contract was compromising not only the SNS,
but the entire government," said Grigorij Meseznikov, the head
of the Institute for Public Affairs think-tank.
"Chrbet had to go, in light of the declining support for the
(ruling) coalition, while the opposition has gained."
(Additional reporting by Martin Santa; Editing by Sophie
Hares)
