SLOVAKIA HAS A NEW MINISTER OF DEFENSE

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000082 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/S-O and EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA HAS A NEW MINISTER OF DEFENSE ¶1. Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic has officially accepted the resignation of Minister of Defense Juraj Liska and appointed Martin Fedor the new Minister of Defense today, February 1, 2006. Minister Liska has resigned in connection with a tragic accident of a military plane An-24. Martin Fedor has previously served as the Ministry of Defense State Secretary. He was nominated for Minister by the coalition SIPDIS party Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party (SDKU-DS). ¶2. Please change State Department's records accordingly. VALLEE NNNN