Slovakia ruling party names insider as interior minister

Bratislava: Slovakia's ruling party on Tuesday nominated one of its own to be interior minister, a decision likely to anger protesters who want an independent figure to reassure them an investigation into a murder that has shaken the country would be impartial.
The Smer party has chosen deputy minister Denisa Sakova for the post, said Robert Fico, who remains party leader even though he stepped down as prime minister in March in the wake of the killing of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in February.
Tens of thousands of Slovaks have protested since Kuciak's death, calling for a crackdown on corruption.
The demonstrations led to the resignation of Fico and the cabinet and the formation of a new one by the same three-party coalition.
Kuciak, 27, investigated corruption and links between politicians and businessmen.
He was shot dead along with his fiancée in what investigators suspect was a professional hit.
Protesters say they also want an interior minister who will investigate the graft cases Kuciak reported on.
Sakova is a close collaborator with Robert Kalinak, the previous minister and deputy Smer chief.
Non-partisan Tomas Drucker replaced him in the cabinet reshuffle but Drucker quit last week.
"Sakova, right hand to ... Kalinak, is a bad choice for minister at a time when we need to restore public trust in institutions," said Juraj Seliga from the 'Decent Slovakia' platform, adding they were discussing holding more protests.
Fico said it was Smer's right to make the nomination and to question that denied democracy.
"Sakova is a professional with a long record at the ministry, which makes her a good choice to handle the task," he said.
Sakova oversaw IT projects at the ministry between 2007 and 2010.
Before the 2016 election, Fico said she was part of a new Smer generation.
President Andrej Kiska refused to appoint another Kalinak coworker as interior minister before the cabinet reshuffle last month but is expected to meet Sakova on Tuesday afternoon.
Kiska is a political opponent of Fico's but has no constitutional power to stop the nomination once the new government has been officially appointed.
The interior minister will appoint a police chief to replace Tibor Gaspar who has agreed to step down next month in the face of public pressure.