Ivan Šimko (born 1 January 1955) is Slovak politician and former defense and interior affairs minister.[1]

Ivan Šimko
Ivan Šimko in 2002
Minister of Interior
In office
15 May 2023 – 19 July 2023
Preceded byRoman Mikulec
Succeeded byĽudovít Ódor (acting)
In office
15 May 2001 – 15 October 2002
Preceded byLadislav Pittner
Succeeded byVladimír Palko
Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic
Slovak National Council until 31 December 1992
In office
24 September 2003 – 4 July 2006
In office
13 December 1994 – 15 May 2001
Minister of Defence of Slovakia
In office
15 October 2002 – 24 September 2003
Preceded byJozef Stank
Succeeded byJuraj Liška
Personal details
Born (1955-01-01) 1 January 1955 (age 69)
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Political partyChristian Democratic Movement
Other political
affiliations
KDH (1990–2000)
SDKÚ-DS (2000–04)
SF (2004)
Misia 21 (2004–10)
KDH (2010–present)
Alma materComenius University

A founding member of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) in 1990, Šimko left to co-found the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union in 2000. After a disagreement with Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, he led a group of MPs to form the Free Forum in January 2004. He surprisingly lost the party's leadership election two months later to Zuzana Martináková, and he left in October 2004 to form Mission 21 – New Christian Democracy. In May 2010, he returned to the Christian Democratic Movement.

On 15 May 2023, president Zuzana Čaputová installed Šimko as Minister of Interior Affairs in her technocratic government. On 19 July 2023, he was removed as a minister due to concerns about political interference in police work.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Jurinová, Martina (22 May 2006). "Making sense of Slovak politics". The Slovak Spectator. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  2. ^ Kern, Miro (19 July 2023). "Prezidentka odvolá ministra vnútra Ivana Šimka, dôvodom sú jeho spory s políciou". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 19 July 2023.