# Economist Odor picked as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-05-15 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Economist Odor appointed as Slovakia's interim PM amid Meta Description: Respected economist Ludovit Odor chosen as interim prime minister of Slovakia until early elections, tackling inflation and political turmoil amidst Western URL: https://financedigest.com/economist-odor-picked-as-slovakias-caretaker-prime-ministerhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-05-15t093948z2lynxmpej4e0aqrtroptp4slovakia-government-1736814016271-compressed.jpg) # Economist Odor picked as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister By Radovan Stoklasa and Jan Lopatka BRATISLAVA (Reuters) – Respected economist Ludovit Odor was made Slovakia’s interim prime minister on Monday and will lead the country until early elections are held in September, after months of political infighting brought down the previous centre-right government. Slovakia, a member of the European Union, the euro zone and NATO, has struggled with high inflation driven largely by the war in neighbouring Ukraine, and political turmoil after previous prime minister Eduard Heger’s cabinet lost a no-confidence vote in December. Odor, 46, is a politically independent economist who comes to the job straight from the board of the country’s [central bank](https://www.financedigest.com/central-banks-start-turning-off-the-cash-taps.html "Central banks start turning off the cash taps"). Heger had planned to stay on in a caretaker capacity until early polls were held but was forced out after a series of senior resignations this month. Odor and his caretaker cabinet were picked by President Zuzana Caputova, a liberal pro-western politician, and are expected to maintain the previous cabinet’s [backing for western](https://www.financedigest.com/two-thirds-of-iaea-board-backs-western-statement-pressuring-iran.html "Two-thirds of IAEA board backs Western statement pressuring Iran") support of Ukraine, with the defence and foreign ministries to be led by experts from those departments. Caputova said she expected the cabinet to help people struggling with inflation, [prepare a budget for 2024 and take steps](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-naftogaz-ceo-prepared-to-step-down-if-it-would-facilitate-debt-deal.html "Exclusive-Naftogaz CEO prepared to step down if it would facilitate debt deal") to ensure budget sustainability, but also to restore calm and respect to the stormy political scene. We are facing an epidemic of populism, lies which become the truth for some [people after being repeated hundreds of times,” Caputova told](https://www.financedigest.com/people-dont-like-to-be-told-no-when-it-comes-to-finance.html "People don’t like to be told no when it comes to finance") the new cabinet at its appointment ceremony. “I expect you to be part of a counterweight to that phenomenon.” Odor [studied mathematics and management](https://www.financedigest.com/calibration-management-software-market-to-witness-exponential-growth-by-2030-end-tmr-study.html "Calibration Management Software Market to Witness Exponential Growth by 2030 End | TMR Study"), and he has spent most of his career in economic positions in the public sector. He took part in preparing the country for its entry to the [euro zone](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-industry-output-falls-sharply-with-ireland-plunge.html "Euro zone industry output falls sharply, with Ireland plunge") in 2009, and helped set up an analytical department at the Finance Ministry as well as the country’s budget council. He was on the [central bank’s](https://www.financedigest.com/climate-change-fight-a-core-duty-for-central-banks-ecbs-villeroy.html "Climate change fight a ‘core duty’ for central banks – ECB’s Villeroy") board from 2006 to 2010 and returned as vice-governor in 2018. He was also adviser to a centre-right [prime minister](https://www.financedigest.com/liz-truss-resigns-after-six-weeks-as-uk-prime-minister.html "Liz Truss resigns after six weeks as UK prime minister") in 2010-2012. Central [bank chief economist Michal Horvath has been appointed as finance](https://www.financedigest.com/anglo-gulf-trade-bank-partners-with-publicis-sapient-and-microsoft-to-launch-worlds-first-end-to-end-digital-trade-finance-bank.html "Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank partners with Publicis Sapient and Microsoft to launch world’s first end to end digital trade finance bank") minister. Slovakia’s [foreign policy position may be challenged if the government that emerges from the Sept](https://www.financedigest.com/german-industrial-orders-drop-in-sept-on-foreign-demand-slump.html "German industrial orders drop in Sept on foreign demand slump"). 30 election is led by former [prime minister](https://www.financedigest.com/prime-minister-of-liechtenstein-welcomes-house-of-blockchain-at-opening-ceremony-in-vaduz.html "Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Welcomes House of Blockchain at Opening Ceremony in Vaduz") Robert Fico, whose Smer party has taken increasingly anti-liberal and anti-western positions. Smer leads in opinion polls although it is far [short of the support that would give](https://www.financedigest.com/businesses-are-investing-in-technology-to-improve-customer-experience-but-many-are-still-falling-short-of-giving-customers-what-they-want.html "Businesses Are Investing in Technology to Improve Customer Experience, but Many Are Still Falling Short of Giving Customers What They Want") it a parliamentary majority. Fico has railed against [weapons shipments to Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-says-no-need-to-use-nuclear-weapons-in-ukraine.html "Russia says ‘no need’ to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine"), while attacking Caputova as a puppet of the West. (Reporting by Radovan Stoklasa and Jan Lopatka, writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Hugh Lawson) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---