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{{Short description|8th Prime Minister of Slovakia}}
{{Short description|10th Prime Minister of Slovakia}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Eduard Heger in Finland, 2022 (cropped).jpg
| image = Eduard Heger in Finland, 2022 (cropped).jpg
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| primeminister6 = ''Himself''
| primeminister6 = ''Himself''
| predecessor6 = Igor Matovič
| predecessor6 = Igor Matovič
| successor6 = [[Michal Horváth]]
| successor6 = [[Michal Horváth (economist)|Michal Horváth]]
| term_start6 = 23 December 2022
| term_start6 = 23 December 2022
| term_end6 = 15 May 2023
| term_end6 = 15 May 2023
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| predecessor7 = [[Ladislav Kamenický]]
| predecessor7 = [[Ladislav Kamenický]]
| successor7 = Igor Matovič
| successor7 = Igor Matovič
| office8 = Minister of Education
| office8 = [[Ministry of the Education (Slovakia)|Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport]]
| term_start8 = 13 September 2022
| term_start8 = 13 September 2022
| term_end8 = 4 October 2022
| term_end8 = 4 October 2022
Line 57: Line 57:
| primeminister8 = ''Himself''
| primeminister8 = ''Himself''
| predecessor8 = [[Branislav Gröhling]]
| predecessor8 = [[Branislav Gröhling]]
| successor8 = [[Ján Horecký]]
| successor8 = [[Ján Horecký (minister)|Ján Horecký]]
| office9 =
| office9 =
| termlabel9 = [[Acting (law)|''Acting'']]
| termlabel9 = [[Acting (law)|''Acting'']]
Line 66: Line 66:
| successor9 = Branislav Gröhling
| successor9 = Branislav Gröhling
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| office10 = Member of the [[National Council (Slovakia)|National Council]]
| office10 = Member of the [[National Council of Slovakia|National Council]]
| termstart10 = 15 May 2023
| termstart10 = 15 May 2023
| office11 =
| office11 =
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|5|3|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|5|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bratislava]], [[Czechoslovak Socialist Republic|Czechoslovakia]]<br>(now [[Slovakia]])
| birth_place = [[Bratislava]], [[Czechoslovak Socialist Republic|Czechoslovakia]]<br>(now [[Slovakia]])
| party = [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]] (2023–present)
| party = [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]] (since 2023)
| otherparty = [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (2016–2023)
| otherparty = [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (until 2023)
| education =
| education =
| spouse = {{marriage|Lucia Hegerová|2005}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Lucia Hegerová|2005}}
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| alma_mater = [[University of Economics in Bratislava]] ([[Engineer's degree|Ing.]])
| alma_mater = [[University of Economics in Bratislava]] ([[Engineer's degree|Ing.]])
| termend10 = 25 October 2023
| termend10 = 25 October 2023
| office12 = Leader of the [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]]
| office12 = Chairman of [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]]
| termstart12 = 7 March 2023
| termstart12 = 7 March 2023
| termend12 = 2 December 2023
| termend12 = 2 December 2023
Line 87: Line 87:
| successor12 = [[Jaroslav Naď]]
| successor12 = [[Jaroslav Naď]]
}}
}}
'''Eduard Heger''' ({{IPA-sk|ˈeduard ˈɦeɡer}}; born 3 May 1976) is a Slovak politician, who served as the [[Prime Minister of Slovakia]] from 1 April 2021 to 15 May 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last= |date= |title=Slovakia prime minister quits |language= |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/slovakia-prime-minister-quits-2023-05-07/ |access-date=}}</ref> He previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the [[Matovič Cabinet|cabinet]] of [[Igor Matovič]]. Heger was a member of the presidium of the [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (OĽaNO) party which he left in March 2023 to take over the extra-parliamentary Blue Coalition party, subsequently rebranded as [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]].
'''Eduard Heger''' ({{IPA|sk|ˈeduard ˈɦeɡer}}; born 3 May 1976) is a Slovak politician, who served as the [[Prime Minister of Slovakia]] from 1 April 2021 to 15 May 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|first1=Radovan|last1=Stoklasa|first2=Jason|last2=Hovet|title=Slovakia prime minister quits|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/slovakia-prime-minister-quits-2023-05-07/|date=7 May 2023|website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> He previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the [[Matovič Cabinet|cabinet]] of [[Igor Matovič]]. Heger was a member of the presidium of the [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (OĽaNO) party which he left in March 2023 to take over the extra-parliamentary Blue Coalition party, subsequently rebranded as [[Democrats (Slovakia)|Democrats]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Heger was born in 1976 in [[Bratislava]] to parents employed in culture. His father, a member of the Communist party, organized big music festivals, which allowed young Heger to meet many local high profile musicians. His family was not religious, but Heger embraced [[Catholic charismatic renewal]] as a young adult after the death of his father. Prior to his entry to politics, he was professionally involved in management of the Charismatic Christian communities in Slovakia. In particular, he was active in the community under the administration of the [[St Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava|Cathedral of St. Martin in Bratislava]].<ref name ="early_life">{{cite web |last1=Tódová |first1=Monika |title=Nový premiér Eduard Heger: V Amerike som sa naučil, že ten, kto má opačný názor, nie je nepriateľ |url=https://dennikn.sk/2335710/novy-premier-eduard-heger-v-amerike-som-sa-naucil-ze-ten-kto-ma-opacny-nazor-nie-je-nepriatel/ |website=Denník N |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk-SK |date=31 March 2021}}</ref>
Heger was born in 1976 in [[Bratislava]] to parents employed in culture. His father, a member of the Communist party, organized big music festivals, which allowed young Heger to meet many local high profile musicians. His family was not religious, but Heger embraced [[Catholic charismatic renewal]] as a young adult after the death of his father. Prior to his entry to politics, he was professionally involved in management of the Charismatic Christian communities in Slovakia. In particular, he was active in the community under the administration of the [[St Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava|Cathedral of St. Martin in Bratislava]].<ref name="early_life">{{cite web |last1=Tódová |first1=Monika |title=Nový premiér Eduard Heger: V Amerike som sa naučil, že ten, kto má opačný názor, nie je nepriateľ |url=https://dennikn.sk/2335710/novy-premier-eduard-heger-v-amerike-som-sa-naucil-ze-ten-kto-ma-opacny-nazor-nie-je-nepriatel/|website=[[Denník N]]|date=31 March 2021|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk}}</ref>


[[File:Juraj Droba and Eduard Heger opening a school 02.jpg|thumb|left|Eduard Heger and [[Juraj Droba]] opening a school in the Bratislava region]]
[[File:Juraj Droba and Eduard Heger opening a school 02.jpg|thumb|left|Eduard Heger and [[Juraj Droba]] opening a school in the Bratislava region]]
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In 1999, Heger graduated in Trade and Management at the [[University of Economics in Bratislava]]. He held junior managerial positions at several small companies earlier, including several restaurants and bathroom accessory producer Intercomp. Between 2001 and 2005, Heger worked as a junior consultant for [[Cubic Corporation]] on a military modernization project for the [[Ministry of Defence (Slovakia)|Slovak Ministry of Defence]]. He also spent about 18 months in the United States and became acquainted with [[Juraj Droba]], who later went on to become the Governor of the [[Bratislava Region]] a prominent liberal politician in Slovakia. Despite being a conservative, Heger formed a strong friendship with Droba. Together with American investors, they established a company called Old Nassau, the producer of [[Double Cross Vodka]], a premium Slovak vodka brand destined mainly for export to the US. At Old Nassau, Heger was responsible for production and marketing until his entry to politics.<ref>{{cite web|first=Viktor|last=Kniš|title=Kto je budúci premiér Eduard Heger?|url=https://refresher.sk/96502-Kto-je-buduci-premier-Eduard-Heger|website=refresher.sk|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Miro|last=Kern|title=Nekonfliktný charizmatik a obchodník s vodkou: premiérom bude Eduard Heger|url=https://dennikn.sk/2321160/nekonfliktny-charizmatik-a-obchodnik-s-vodkou-premierom-bude-eduard-heger/|website=[[Denník N]]|date=28 March 2021|language=sk}}</ref>


⚫
In 2016, Heger was persuaded to run for an MP seat by prominent figures of the Slovak Charismatic movement [[Branislav Škripek]] and {{ill|Richard Vašečka|sk}}, who were themselves active in politics.<ref name="early_life"/>
⚫
In 1999, Heger graduated in Trade and Management at the [[University of Economics in Bratislava]]. In his early career, he held junior managerial positions at several small companies, including several restaurants and bathroom accessory producer Intercomp. Between 2001 - 2005, Heger worked as a junior consultant for [[Cubic Corporation]] on a military modernization project for the [[Ministry of Defence (Slovakia)|Slovak Ministry of Defence]]. In his early career, he spent about 18 months in the US, where he became acquainted with [[Juraj Droba]], who later went on to become the Governor of the [[Bratislava Region]] a prominent liberal politician in Slovakia. Heger, despite being a conservative, formed a strong friendship with Droba. Together with American investors, they established a company called Old Nassau, the producer of [[Double Cross Vodka]], a premium Slovak vodka brand destined mainly for export to the US. At Old Nassau, Heger was responsible for production and marketing until his entry to politics.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kniš |first1=Viktor |title=Kto je budúci premiér Eduard Heger? |url=https://refresher.sk/96502-Kto-je-buduci-premier-Eduard-Heger |website=refresher.sk |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dennikn.sk/2321160/nekonfliktny-charizmatik-a-obchodnik-s-vodkou-premierom-bude-eduard-heger/|title=Nekonfliktný charizmatik a obchodník s vodkou: premiérom bude Eduard Heger|first=Miro|last=Kern|date=28 March 2021|website=Denník N}}</ref>

⚫
In 2016, Heger was persuaded to run for an MP seat by prominent figures of the Slovak Charismatic movement [[Branislav Škripek]] and {{ill|Richard Vašečka|sk}}, who were themselves active in politics.<ref name="early_life" />


==Political career==
==Political career==
===Opposition MP, 2016–2020===
===Opposition MP, 2016–2020===
In the [[2016 Slovak parliamentary election|2016 parliamentary election]], Heger gained a seat in the [[National Council (Slovakia)|National Council of the Slovak Republic]] for the [[anti-corruption]] movement [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (OĽaNO). Although his 24th place on electoral list of his party would otherwise not suffice for a seat, he became an MP due to over 15,000 personal votes he received under the Slovakia's [[optional preferential voting]] system.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mikušovič |first1=Dušan |title=Krúžky majú v našich voľbách veľkú váhu, voliči môžu stranám prekopať kandidátky |url=https://dennikn.sk/1776559/kruzky-maju-v-nasich-volbach-velku-vahu-volici-mozu-stranam-prekopat-kandidatky/ |website=Denník N |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk-SK |date=28 February 2020}}</ref> As an MP, he got appointed the chairman of the OĽaNO parliamentary group, the chairman of the National Council Committee for Control of Military Intelligence and a member of the Economic and Foreign Affairs committees.
In the [[2016 Slovak parliamentary election|2016 parliamentary election]], Heger gained a seat in the [[National Council (Slovakia)|National Council of the Slovak Republic]] for the [[anti-corruption]] movement [[Ordinary People and Independent Personalities]] (OĽaNO). Although his 24th place on electoral list of his party would otherwise not suffice for a seat, he became an MP due to over 15,000 personal votes he received under the Slovakia's [[optional preferential voting]] system.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dušan|last=Mikušovič|title=Krúžky majú v našich voľbách veľkú váhu, voliči môžu stranám prekopať kandidátky|url=https://dennikn.sk/1776559/kruzky-maju-v-nasich-volbach-velku-vahu-volici-mozu-stranam-prekopat-kandidatky/|website=Denník N|date=28 February 2020|access-date=15 August 2022}}</ref> As an MP, he got appointed the chairman of the OĽaNO parliamentary group, the chairman of the National Council Committee for Control of Military Intelligence and a member of the Economic and Foreign Affairs committees.


Heger was a very active and vigorous critic of [[Fico's Third Cabinet]] in Parliament. During his term, he was evaluated as the 2nd most active member of the National Council. He presented 173 bills and spoke 680 times in Parliament. He was the opposition [[Shadow Cabinet|shadow]] [[List of Ministers of Finance of Slovakia|Minister of Finance]] and drew up "Program for sound public finances" of his movement and presented a set of measures to fight bureaucracy. He also participated in and organised several anti-corruption and anti-government protests. During the election term, he was a co-organiser of the Zastavme Hazard (Stop Gambling) initiative, which fought to ban gambling.<ref>{{cite web |title=Official profile at the party website |url=https://www.obycajniludia.sk/ludia/eduard-heger/ |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk-SK |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209074716/https://www.obycajniludia.sk/ludia/eduard-heger/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Heger was a very active and vigorous critic of [[Fico's Third Cabinet]] in Parliament. During his term, he was evaluated as the 2nd most active member of the National Council. He presented 173 bills and spoke 680 times in Parliament. He was the opposition [[Shadow Cabinet|shadow]] [[List of Ministers of Finance of Slovakia|Minister of Finance]] and drew up "Program for sound public finances" of his movement and presented a set of measures to fight bureaucracy. He also participated in and organised several anti-corruption and anti-government protests. During the election term, he was a co-organiser of the Zastavme Hazard (Stop Gambling) initiative, which fought to ban gambling.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Official profile on the party website|url=https://www.obycajniludia.sk/ludia/eduard-heger/|website=OĽaNO|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk|archive-date=9 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209074716/https://www.obycajniludia.sk/ludia/eduard-heger/|url-status=dead}}</ref>


In [[2016 Slovak parliamentary election|the 2020 parliamentary election]], Heger ran from the 142nd place on the OĽaNO list in line with the tradition of the [[Populism|populist]] movement, where popular politicians run from the bottom positions on the list that do not guarantee them an automatic MP seat. He was once again elected by preferential votes, having received nearly 63,000 personal votes.
In the [[2020 Slovak parliamentary election]], Heger ran from the 142nd place on the OĽaNO list in line with the tradition of the [[Populism|populist]] movement, where popular politicians run from the bottom positions on the list that do not guarantee them an automatic MP seat. He was once again elected by preferential votes, having received nearly 63,000 personal votes.


===In government===
===In government===
====Minister of Finance, 2020–2021====
====Minister of Finance, 2020–2021====
{{See also|Matovič's Cabinet}}
{{See also|Matovič's Cabinet}}
After the 2020 OĽaNO electoral victory, Heger forfeit his parliamentary seat to join the government, which is not compatible with the position of an MP in the Slovak constitutional system. In the cabinet of Prime Minister [[Igor Matovič]] he served as Minister of Finance and deputy PM. During his short tenure he had to deal with a major [[Shock (economics)|fiscal shock]] of the global [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The most important tasks with respect to the pandemic were ensuring Slovakia's ability to finance its spending needs and overseeing preparation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan to access the [[Next Generation EU]] funding from the [[European Union]]. On 1 April 2021 a government reshuffle in response to the demands of OĽaNO's junior coalition partners [[Sloboda a Solidarita|Freedom and Solidarity]] and [[Za ľudí|For the People]] parties who refused to support a government with [[Igor Matovič]] as a PM any longer took place. As a result, Heger became the Prime Minister and the previous PM Matovič took over the Ministry of Finance.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bariak |first1=Ladislav |last2=Debnár |first2=Ján |title=Koalíčná kríza: Matovič sa chce vymeniť s Hegerom |url=https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/877606/koalicna-kriza-vyhlasenie-matovic/ |website=Aktuality.sk |date=28 March 2021 |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref>
After the 2020 OĽaNO electoral victory, Heger forfeit his parliamentary seat to join the government, which is not compatible with the position of an MP in the Slovak constitutional system. In the cabinet of Prime Minister [[Igor Matovič]] he served as Minister of Finance and deputy PM. During his short tenure he had to deal with a major [[Shock (economics)|fiscal shock]] of the global [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The most important tasks with respect to the pandemic were ensuring Slovakia's ability to finance its spending needs and overseeing preparation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan to access the [[Next Generation EU]] funding from the [[European Union]]. On 1 April 2021, a government reshuffle in response to the demands of OĽaNO's junior coalition partners [[Freedom and Solidarity]] and [[For the People (Slovakia)|For the People]] parties who refused to support a government with [[Igor Matovič]] as a PM any longer took place. As a result, Heger became the Prime Minister and the previous PM Matovič took over the Ministry of Finance.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Ladislav|last1=Bariak|first2=Ján|last2=Debnár|title=Koalíčná kríza: Matovič sa chce vymeniť s Hegerom|url=https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/877606/koalicna-kriza-vyhlasenie-matovic/|website=[[Aktuality.sk]]|date=28 March 2021|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk}}</ref>


====Prime Minister, 2021–2023====
====Prime Minister (2021–2023)====
{{See also|Heger's Cabinet}}
{{See also|Cabinet of Eduard Heger}}
[[File:Denys Shmyhal, EU officials and Eduard Heger visited Bucha after the massacre (1).jpg|thumb|[[Denys Shmyhal]], EU officials and Eduard Heger visit [[Bucha, Kyiv Oblast|Bucha]] after the massacre]]
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As a PM, Heger has won praise from his coalition partners for his diplomatic skills, which facilitated more constructive functioning of the government in comparison to the combative style to his predecessor [[Igor Matovič|Matovič]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sulík: Hegerova vláda priniesla upokojenie vzťahov |url=https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/sulik-vlada-hegera-priniesla-upokojen/561921-clanok.html |website=TERAZ.sk |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk |date=9 July 2021}}</ref> At the same time, critics stress the lack of autonomy of Heger in relation to Matovič, who remained the chairman of OĽaNO.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tkačenko |first1=Peter |title=Toto je autentický Heger (komentár) |url=https://komentare.sme.sk/c/22968427/toto-je-autenticky-heger-komentar.html |website=komentare.sme.sk |language=sk}}</ref> On the international stage, Heger has gained notability for his strong support for Ukraine in the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], which manifested in several rounds of Slovak arms deliveries for Ukraine, support for Ukrainian membership in the European Union and a personal visit of [[Kyiv]] and surrounding areas devastated by the Russian army in April 2022 along with the European Commission President [[Ursula von der Leyen]] and EU's chief diplomat [[Josep Borrell]].<ref name="Ukraine">{{cite web |last1=Hudec |first1=Michal |title=Slovak, Austrian PM's to join EU leaders on Kyiv trip |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovak-austrian-pms-to-join-eu-leaders-on-kyiv-trip/ |website=Euractiv|access-date=15 August 2022 |date=7 April 2022}}</ref> His government was ousted in a [[motion of no confidence]] on 15 December.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No confidence vote topples Slovakia coalition government|url=https://www.dw.com/en/no-confidence-vote-topples-slovakia-coalition-government/a-64115933 |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=dw.com}}</ref> On 16 December President Čaputová formally dismissed Heger's government, per the [[Constitution of Slovakia]], Heger continued to serve as prime minister until a successor was appointed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-16 |title=Čaputová odvolala vládu. Heger neplánuje obetovať Matoviča |url=https://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/650755-caputova-odvolala-hegerovu-vladu/ |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=Pravda.sk |language=sk}}</ref>
[[File:Mateusz Morawiecki met with Slovak PM Eduard Heger at KPRM (2021.06.10) 3.jpg|thumb|Polish Prime Minister [[Mateusz Morawiecki]] and Eduard Heger in Warsaw]]
⚫
As prime minister, Heger has won praise from his coalition partners for his diplomatic skills, which facilitated more constructive functioning of the government in comparison to the combative style to his predecessor [[Igor Matovič|Matovič]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sulík: Hegerova vláda priniesla upokojenie vzťahov|url=https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/sulik-vlada-hegera-priniesla-upokojen/561921-clanok.html|website=Teraz.sk|date=9 July 2021|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk}}</ref> At the same time, critics stress the lack of autonomy of Heger in relation to Matovič, who remained the chairman of OĽaNO.<ref>{{cite web|first=Peter|last=Tkačenko|title=Toto je autentický Heger (komentár)|url=https://komentare.sme.sk/c/22968427/toto-je-autenticky-heger-komentar.html|website=[[Sme]]|language=sk}}</ref> On the international stage, Heger has gained notability for his strong support for Ukraine in the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], which manifested in several rounds of Slovak arms deliveries for Ukraine, support for Ukrainian membership in the European Union and a personal visit of [[Kyiv]] and surrounding areas devastated by the Russian army in April 2022 along with the European Commission President [[Ursula von der Leyen]] and EU's chief diplomat [[Josep Borrell]].<ref name="Ukraine">{{cite web|first=Michal|last=Hudec|title=Slovak, Austrian PM's to join EU leaders on Kyiv trip|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovak-austrian-pms-to-join-eu-leaders-on-kyiv-trip/|website=[[Euractiv]]|date=7 April 2022|access-date=15 August 2022}}</ref> His government was ousted in a [[motion of no confidence]] on 15 December.<ref>{{Cite web|title=No confidence vote topples Slovakia coalition government|url=https://www.dw.com/en/no-confidence-vote-topples-slovakia-coalition-government/a-64115933|website=[[Deutsche Welle]]|access-date=16 December 2022}}</ref> On 16 December President Čaputová formally dismissed Heger's government, per the [[Constitution of Slovakia]], Heger continued to serve as prime minister until a successor was appointed.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Čaputová odvolala vládu. Heger neplánuje obetovať Matoviča |url=https://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/650755-caputova-odvolala-hegerovu-vladu/|website=[[Pravda (Slovakia)|Pravda]]|date=16 December 2022|language=sk}}</ref>


[[File:Denys Shmyhal, EU officials and Eduard Heger visited Bucha after the massacre (1).jpg|thumb|[[Denys Shmyhal]], EU officials and Eduard Heger visit [[Bucha, Kyiv Oblast|Bucha]] after the massacre]]
[[File:Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Eduard Heger in Kyiv 20220408.jpg|thumb|Ukrainian President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] and Eduard Heger in Kyiv]]
[[File:Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Eduard Heger in Kyiv 20220408.jpg|thumb|[[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] and Eduard Heger in Kyiv]]
[[File:Jill Biden and Eduard Heger met with staffs of NGOs at Vyšné Nemecké border (2).jpg|thumb|[[Jill Biden]] and Eduard Heger meeting staff members of NGOs helping Ukrainian refugees at [[Vyšné Nemecké]] border crossing]]
[[File:Jill Biden and Eduard Heger met with staffs of NGOs at Vyšné Nemecké border (2).jpg|thumb|[[Jill Biden]] and Eduard Heger meeting staff members of NGOs helping Ukrainian refugees at [[Vyšné Nemecké]] border crossing]]
[[File:220317-D-TT977-0679 (51944152606).jpg|thumb|U.S. Secretary of Defense [[Lloyd J. Austin]] is welcomed by Eduard Heger in Bratislava]]
⚫
On 7 March 2023, Heger announced his departure from OĽaNO and joined political party Democrats (previous [[Together – Civic Democracy]]).<ref name="novinky 7 3 23">{{cite web|title=Heger vystoupil z Matovičova hnutí, založil vlastní stranu|url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/zahranicni-evropa-heger-vystoupil-z-matovicova-hnuti-asi-zalozi-vlastni-stranu-40424972|website=[[Novinky.cz]]|date=7 March 2023 |access-date=7 March 2023 |language=cs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Slovenský premiér Heger končí v Matovičově hnutí. Stal se lídrem Demokratů|url=https://www.denik.cz/staty-eu/slovensko-eduard-heger-olano-20230307.html|website=[[Deník]]|date=7 March 2023|access-date=7 March 2023|language=cs}}</ref> His former political colleague, [[Christian democracy|Christian democrat]] of [[Christian Union (Slovakia)|KÚ]] and an [[Evangelism|evangeliser]] [[Branislav Škripek]] commented that Heger's departure from [[Conservatism|conservative]] politics was regrettable.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Branislav Škripek o spájaní s KDH / Experiment s OĽaNO sa pre mňa skončil (video + text)|url=https://www.postoj.sk/126418/experiment-s-olano-sa-pre-mna-skoncil-som-za-spolupracu-s-kdh-video-text|website=Denník Postoh|access-date=16 March 2023|language=sk}}</ref>


⚫
On 7 May 2023, Heger announced his resignation as prime minister after several ministers had resigned a few days prior.<ref name=":0" />
⚫
On 7 March 2023 Heger announced his departure from OĽaNO. He joined political party Democrats (previous [[Together – Civic Democracy]]).<ref name="novinky 7 3 23">{{cite web |title=Heger vystoupil z Matovičova hnutí, založil vlastní stranu|url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/zahranicni-evropa-heger-vystoupil-z-matovicova-hnuti-asi-zalozi-vlastni-stranu-40424972 |website=[[Novinky.cz]]|access-date=7 March 2023 |language=cs}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Slovenský premiér Heger končí v Matovičově hnutí. Stal se lídrem Demokratů |url=https://www.denik.cz/staty-eu/slovensko-eduard-heger-olano-20230307.html |website=Deník.cz |access-date=7 March 2023 |language=cs |date=7 March 2023}}</ref> His former political colleague, [[Christian democracy|Christian democrat]] of [[Christian Union (Slovakia)|KÚ]] and an [[Evangelism|evangeliser]] [[Branislav Škripek]] commented that Heger's departure from [[Conservatism|conservative]] politics was regrettable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Branislav Škripek o spájaní s KDH / Experiment s OĽaNO sa pre mňa skončil (video + text) |url=https://www.postoj.sk/126418/experiment-s-olano-sa-pre-mna-skoncil-som-za-spolupracu-s-kdh-video-text |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Postoj.sk |language=sk}}</ref>

⚫
On 7 May 2023, Heger tendered his resignation as prime minister after several ministers had resigned a few days prior.<ref name=":0" />


==Political views==
==Political views==
===2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine===
===2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine===
Heger is a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its defense against the [[2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion]]. Slovakia provided major arms deliveries, including its sole [[S-300 missile system]]<ref name="Ukraine" /> to Ukraine and Heger personally lobbied EU leaders for Ukrainian membership in the EU.<ref>{{cite web |last1=von der Burchard |first1=Hans |title=Slovakia's PM urges Germany to accept Ukraine as EU candidate |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/slovakia-heger-scholz-ukraine-eu-membership-candidate/ |website=POLITICO |access-date=15 August 2022 |date=14 June 2022}}</ref> At the [[World Economic Forum]] in Davos, Heger explained that his support for Ukraine is due to his belief that if Ukraine was allowed to fall, Slovakia would be next in line to be invaded by Russia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Heger Warns Russia Could Threaten Slovakia If Ukraine Falls |url=https://www.tasr.sk/tasr-clanok/TASR:2022052600000150 |website=tasr|access-date=15 August 2022}}</ref> In February 2023, Heger expressed that he would be willing to send Slovak professional combat troops to fight in Ukraine as part of Slovakia's alliance committments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uhrík sa pýtal Hegera, či by na Ukrajinu poslal slovenských vojakov v rámci akcie NATO. "Samozrejme," odvetil rázne Heger |url=https://standard.sk/318646/uhrik-sa-pytal-hegera-ci-by-na-ukrajinu-poslal-slovenskych-vojakov-v-ramci-akcie-nato-samozrejme-odvetil-razne-heger/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Štandard |language=sk}}</ref>
Heger is a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its defense against the [[2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion]]. Slovakia provided major arms deliveries, including its sole [[S-300 missile system]]<ref name="Ukraine" /> to Ukraine and Heger personally lobbied EU leaders for Ukrainian membership in the EU.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Hans|last1=von der Burchard|title=Slovakia's PM urges Germany to accept Ukraine as EU candidate|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/slovakia-heger-scholz-ukraine-eu-membership-candidate/|website=[[Politico Europe]]|access-date=15 August 2022 |date=14 June 2022}}</ref> At the [[World Economic Forum]] in Davos, Heger explained that his support for Ukraine is due to his belief that if Ukraine was allowed to fall, Slovakia would be next in line to be invaded by Russia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Heger Warns Russia Could Threaten Slovakia If Ukraine Falls |url=https://www.tasr.sk/tasr-clanok/TASR:2022052600000150|website=TASR|access-date=15 August 2022}}</ref> In February 2023, Heger expressed that he would be willing to send Slovak professional combat troops to fight in Ukraine as part of Slovakia's alliance commitments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uhrík sa pýtal Hegera, či by na Ukrajinu poslal slovenských vojakov v rámci akcie NATO. "Samozrejme," odvetil rázne Heger|url=https://standard.sk/318646/uhrik-sa-pytal-hegera-ci-by-na-ukrajinu-poslal-slovenskych-vojakov-v-ramci-akcie-nato-samozrejme-odvetil-razne-heger/ |access-date=21 February 2023|website=Štandard|language=sk}}</ref>


===Taxes===
===Taxes===
As a Minister of Finance, Heger supported a shift of tax burden from [[Direct tax|direct]] to [[Property tax|property]] taxation. His plans were met with a strong backlash on social media, where claims that a massive hike of real estate tax was imminent mushroomed. Heger called these claims a "[[hoax]]" and stated his reform will not increase the overall tax burden but rather provide incentives for families and businesses to work and invest by decreasing the income tax.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Odkladal |first1=Martin |title=Ministerstvo financií vyvracia hoax o dramatickom zvyšovaní daní z nehnuteľností, ktorý sa šíri na sociálnych sieťach |url=https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/873783/ministerstvo-financii-vyvracia-hoax-o-zvysovani-dani-z-nehnutelnosti-ktory-sa-siri-na-internete/ |website=Aktuality.sk |date=15 March 2021 |access-date=16 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref> The reform was never implemented, likely due to short-lasting tenure of Heger as the Minister of Finance.
As a Minister of Finance, Heger supported a shift of tax burden from [[Direct tax|direct]] to [[Property tax|property]] taxation. His plans were met with a strong backlash on social media, where claims that a massive hike of real estate tax was imminent mushroomed. Heger called these claims a "[[hoax]]" and stated his reform will not increase the overall tax burden but rather provide incentives for families and businesses to work and invest by decreasing the income tax.<ref>{{cite web|first=Martin|last=Odkladal|title=Ministerstvo financií vyvracia hoax o dramatickom zvyšovaní daní z nehnuteľností, ktorý sa šíri na sociálnych sieťach|url=https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/873783/ministerstvo-financii-vyvracia-hoax-o-zvysovani-dani-z-nehnutelnosti-ktory-sa-siri-na-internete/|website=Aktuality.sk|date=15 March 2021 |access-date=16 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref> The reform was never implemented, likely due to short-lasting tenure of Heger as the Minister of Finance.


===Human Rights===
===Human Rights===
Heger is a believer in the importance of European values such as human rights and the right to the freedom of expression. He also supported the protection of minorities. However he noted that Slovakia will be taking a neutral stance in the controversial Hungarian LGBT bill. Slovakia under his premiership did not sign a joint letter on fighting discrimination against the LGBT community, which 17 other EU leaders had signed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koreň |first=Marián |date=2021-06-30 |title=Slovak, Hungarian leaders meet in Budapest |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovak-hungarian-leaders-meet-in-budapest/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Euractiv}}</ref>
Heger is a believer in the importance of European values such as human rights and the right to the freedom of expression. He also supported the protection of minorities. However he noted that Slovakia will be taking a neutral stance in the controversial Hungarian LGBT bill. Slovakia under his premiership did not sign a joint letter on fighting discrimination against the LGBT community, which 17 other EU leaders had signed.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Marián|last=Koreň|title=Slovak, Hungarian leaders meet in Budapest |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovak-hungarian-leaders-meet-in-budapest/|date=30 June 2021|access-date=10 July 2022|website=Euractiv}}</ref>


===Abortion===
===Abortion===
Heger is staunchly [[anti-abortion]] stating that the human life begins at conception. Nonetheless, he rejects the "polarizing" debate around abortion in Slovakia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Magušin |first1=Michal |title=Premiér Eduard Heger / Hlasoval by som za Záborskej zákon, život treba chrániť od počatia |url=https://www.postoj.sk/90719/hlasoval-by-som-za-zaborskej-zakon-zivot-treba-chranit-od-pocatia-video-text |website=Postoj.sk |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref>
Heger is staunchly [[anti-abortion]] stating that the human life begins at conception. Nonetheless, he rejects the "polarizing" debate around abortion in Slovakia.<ref>{{cite web|first=Michal|last=Magušin|title=Premiér Eduard Heger / Hlasoval by som za Záborskej zákon, život treba chrániť od počatia|url=https://www.postoj.sk/90719/hlasoval-by-som-za-zaborskej-zakon-zivot-treba-chranit-od-pocatia-video-text|website=Denník Postoj|access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Heger and his wife Lucia have four children. He is a devout [[Catholic charismatic renewal|Charismatic Catholic]] and in his free time he worked in several functions in the [[Catholic Church in Slovakia|Catholic Church of Slovakia]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hanus |first1=Martin |last2=Majchrák |first2=Jozef |title=Charizmatik v parlamente: Patríme do politiky |url=https://www.postoj.sk/11913/charizmatik-v-parlamente-patrime-do-politiky- |website=Postoj.sk |access-date=15 August 2022 |language=sk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hudec |first1=Michal |title=Slovakia backs Ukraine's EU ambition without shortcuts |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovakia-backs-ukraines-eu-ambition-without-shortcuts/ |website=Euractiv |access-date=15 August 2022 |date=14 June 2022}}</ref>
Heger and his wife Lucia have four children. He is a devout [[Catholic charismatic renewal|Charismatic Catholic]] and in his free time he worked in several functions in the [[Catholic Church in Slovakia|Catholic Church of Slovakia]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Martin|last1=Hanus|first2=Jozef|last2=Majchrák|title=Charizmatik v parlamente: Patríme do politiky |url=https://www.postoj.sk/11913/charizmatik-v-parlamente-patrime-do-politiky- |website=Denník Postoj|access-date=15 August 2022|language=sk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michal|last=Hudec|title=Slovakia backs Ukraine's EU ambition without shortcuts |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/slovakia-backs-ukraines-eu-ambition-without-shortcuts/ |website=Euractiv |access-date=15 August 2022 |date=14 June 2022}}</ref>


==Awards and honors==
==Awards and honors==
*[[File:Order_of_Merit_1st_Class_of_Ukraine.png|60px]] [[Order of Merit (Ukraine)|Order of Merit]], 1st class ([[Ukraine]], 23 August 2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/405/2021|title=Про нагородження Е. Хегера орденом "За заслуги"|language=uk|newspaper=zakon.rada.gov.ua|date=2021-08-23|access-date=2022-10-22}}</ref>
*[[File:Order_of_Merit_1st_Class_of_Ukraine.png|60px]] [[Order of Merit (Ukraine)|Order of Merit]], 1st class ([[Ukraine]], 23 August 2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/405/2021|title=Про нагородження Е. Хегера орденом "За заслуги"|language=uk|newspaper=zakon.rada.gov.ua|date=23 August 2021|access-date=22 October 2022}}</ref>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
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[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:People from Bratislava]]
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[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Slovak Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Slovak Roman Catholics]]
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[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from atheism or agnosticism]]
[[Category:OĽaNO politicians]]
[[Category:Democrats (Slovakia) politicians]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Finance ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Finance ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Deputy prime ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 2016–2020]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 2016–2020]]
[[Category:OĽaNO politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 2020–2023]]
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriates in the United States]]
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[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from atheism or agnosticism]]
[[Category:University of Economics in Bratislava alumni]]
[[Category:University of Economics in Bratislava alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 1st class]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 1st class]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 2020–2023]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriates in the United States]]

Latest revision as of 04:43, 15 December 2024

Eduard Heger
Heger in 2022
Prime Minister of Slovakia
In office
1 April 2021 – 15 May 2023
PresidentZuzana Čaputová
Deputy
See list
  • Štefan Holý
  • Veronika Remišová
  • Igor Matovič
  • Richard Sulík
Preceded byIgor Matovič
Succeeded byĽudovít Ódor
Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia
In office
21 March 2020 – 1 April 2021
Prime MinisterIgor Matovič
Other positions in the executive
Minister of Health
Acting
3 March 2023 – 15 May 2023
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byVladimír Lengvarský
Succeeded byMichal Palkovič
Acting
12 March 2021 – 1 April 2021
Prime MinisterIgor Matovič
Preceded byMarek Krajčí
Succeeded byVladimír Lengvarský
Minister of Finance
Acting
23 December 2022 – 15 May 2023
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byIgor Matovič
Succeeded byMichal Horváth
In office
21 March 2020 – 1 April 2021
Prime MinisterIgor Matovič
Preceded byLadislav Kamenický
Succeeded byIgor Matovič
Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport
Acting
13 September 2022 – 4 October 2022
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byBranislav Gröhling
Succeeded byJán Horecký
Acting
25 March 2021 – 1 April 2021
Prime MinisterIgor Matovič
Preceded byBranislav Gröhling
Succeeded byBranislav Gröhling
Member of the National Council
In office
15 May 2023 – 25 October 2023
In office
23 March 2016 – 21 March 2020
Chairman of Democrats
In office
7 March 2023 – 2 December 2023
Preceded byMiroslav Kollár
Succeeded byJaroslav Naď
Personal details
Born (1976-05-03) 3 May 1976 (age 48)
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
(now Slovakia)
Political partyDemocrats (since 2023)
Other political
affiliations		Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (until 2023)
Spouse
Lucia Hegerová
​
(m. 2005)​
Children4
Alma materUniversity of Economics in Bratislava (Ing.)
Signature

Eduard Heger (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈeduard ˈɦeɡer]; born 3 May 1976) is a Slovak politician, who served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1 April 2021 to 15 May 2023.[1] He previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Igor Matovič. Heger was a member of the presidium of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) party which he left in March 2023 to take over the extra-parliamentary Blue Coalition party, subsequently rebranded as Democrats.

Early life

[edit]

Heger was born in 1976 in Bratislava to parents employed in culture. His father, a member of the Communist party, organized big music festivals, which allowed young Heger to meet many local high profile musicians. His family was not religious, but Heger embraced Catholic charismatic renewal as a young adult after the death of his father. Prior to his entry to politics, he was professionally involved in management of the Charismatic Christian communities in Slovakia. In particular, he was active in the community under the administration of the Cathedral of St. Martin in Bratislava.[2]

Eduard Heger and Juraj Droba opening a school in the Bratislava region

In 1999, Heger graduated in Trade and Management at the University of Economics in Bratislava. He held junior managerial positions at several small companies earlier, including several restaurants and bathroom accessory producer Intercomp. Between 2001 and 2005, Heger worked as a junior consultant for Cubic Corporation on a military modernization project for the Slovak Ministry of Defence. He also spent about 18 months in the United States and became acquainted with Juraj Droba, who later went on to become the Governor of the Bratislava Region a prominent liberal politician in Slovakia. Despite being a conservative, Heger formed a strong friendship with Droba. Together with American investors, they established a company called Old Nassau, the producer of Double Cross Vodka, a premium Slovak vodka brand destined mainly for export to the US. At Old Nassau, Heger was responsible for production and marketing until his entry to politics.[3][4]

In 2016, Heger was persuaded to run for an MP seat by prominent figures of the Slovak Charismatic movement Branislav Škripek and Richard Vašečka [sk], who were themselves active in politics.[2]

Political career

[edit]

Opposition MP, 2016–2020

[edit]

In the 2016 parliamentary election, Heger gained a seat in the National Council of the Slovak Republic for the anti-corruption movement Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO). Although his 24th place on electoral list of his party would otherwise not suffice for a seat, he became an MP due to over 15,000 personal votes he received under the Slovakia's optional preferential voting system.[5] As an MP, he got appointed the chairman of the OĽaNO parliamentary group, the chairman of the National Council Committee for Control of Military Intelligence and a member of the Economic and Foreign Affairs committees.

Heger was a very active and vigorous critic of Fico's Third Cabinet in Parliament. During his term, he was evaluated as the 2nd most active member of the National Council. He presented 173 bills and spoke 680 times in Parliament. He was the opposition shadow Minister of Finance and drew up "Program for sound public finances" of his movement and presented a set of measures to fight bureaucracy. He also participated in and organised several anti-corruption and anti-government protests. During the election term, he was a co-organiser of the Zastavme Hazard (Stop Gambling) initiative, which fought to ban gambling.[6]

In the 2020 Slovak parliamentary election, Heger ran from the 142nd place on the OĽaNO list in line with the tradition of the populist movement, where popular politicians run from the bottom positions on the list that do not guarantee them an automatic MP seat. He was once again elected by preferential votes, having received nearly 63,000 personal votes.

In government

[edit]

Minister of Finance, 2020–2021

[edit]
See also: Matovič's Cabinet

After the 2020 OĽaNO electoral victory, Heger forfeit his parliamentary seat to join the government, which is not compatible with the position of an MP in the Slovak constitutional system. In the cabinet of Prime Minister Igor Matovič he served as Minister of Finance and deputy PM. During his short tenure he had to deal with a major fiscal shock of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The most important tasks with respect to the pandemic were ensuring Slovakia's ability to finance its spending needs and overseeing preparation of the national Recovery and Resilience Plan to access the Next Generation EU funding from the European Union. On 1 April 2021, a government reshuffle in response to the demands of OĽaNO's junior coalition partners Freedom and Solidarity and For the People parties who refused to support a government with Igor Matovič as a PM any longer took place. As a result, Heger became the Prime Minister and the previous PM Matovič took over the Ministry of Finance.[7]

Prime Minister (2021–2023)

[edit]
See also: Cabinet of Eduard Heger
Denys Shmyhal, EU officials and Eduard Heger visit Bucha after the massacre
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Eduard Heger in Warsaw

As prime minister, Heger has won praise from his coalition partners for his diplomatic skills, which facilitated more constructive functioning of the government in comparison to the combative style to his predecessor Matovič.[8] At the same time, critics stress the lack of autonomy of Heger in relation to Matovič, who remained the chairman of OĽaNO.[9] On the international stage, Heger has gained notability for his strong support for Ukraine in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which manifested in several rounds of Slovak arms deliveries for Ukraine, support for Ukrainian membership in the European Union and a personal visit of Kyiv and surrounding areas devastated by the Russian army in April 2022 along with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell.[10] His government was ousted in a motion of no confidence on 15 December.[11] On 16 December President Čaputová formally dismissed Heger's government, per the Constitution of Slovakia, Heger continued to serve as prime minister until a successor was appointed.[12]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Eduard Heger in Kyiv
Jill Biden and Eduard Heger meeting staff members of NGOs helping Ukrainian refugees at Vyšné Nemecké border crossing
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin is welcomed by Eduard Heger in Bratislava

On 7 March 2023, Heger announced his departure from OĽaNO and joined political party Democrats (previous Together – Civic Democracy).[13][14] His former political colleague, Christian democrat of KÚ and an evangeliser Branislav Škripek commented that Heger's departure from conservative politics was regrettable.[15]

On 7 May 2023, Heger announced his resignation as prime minister after several ministers had resigned a few days prior.[1]

Political views

[edit]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

[edit]

Heger is a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion. Slovakia provided major arms deliveries, including its sole S-300 missile system[10] to Ukraine and Heger personally lobbied EU leaders for Ukrainian membership in the EU.[16] At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Heger explained that his support for Ukraine is due to his belief that if Ukraine was allowed to fall, Slovakia would be next in line to be invaded by Russia.[17] In February 2023, Heger expressed that he would be willing to send Slovak professional combat troops to fight in Ukraine as part of Slovakia's alliance commitments.[18]

Taxes

[edit]

As a Minister of Finance, Heger supported a shift of tax burden from direct to property taxation. His plans were met with a strong backlash on social media, where claims that a massive hike of real estate tax was imminent mushroomed. Heger called these claims a "hoax" and stated his reform will not increase the overall tax burden but rather provide incentives for families and businesses to work and invest by decreasing the income tax.[19] The reform was never implemented, likely due to short-lasting tenure of Heger as the Minister of Finance.

Human Rights

[edit]

Heger is a believer in the importance of European values such as human rights and the right to the freedom of expression. He also supported the protection of minorities. However he noted that Slovakia will be taking a neutral stance in the controversial Hungarian LGBT bill. Slovakia under his premiership did not sign a joint letter on fighting discrimination against the LGBT community, which 17 other EU leaders had signed.[20]

Abortion

[edit]

Heger is staunchly anti-abortion stating that the human life begins at conception. Nonetheless, he rejects the "polarizing" debate around abortion in Slovakia.[21]

Personal life

[edit]

Heger and his wife Lucia have four children. He is a devout Charismatic Catholic and in his free time he worked in several functions in the Catholic Church of Slovakia.[22][23]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Stoklasa, Radovan; Hovet, Jason (7 May 2023). "Slovakia prime minister quits". Reuters.
  2. ^ a b Tódová, Monika (31 March 2021). "Nový premiér Eduard Heger: V Amerike som sa naučil, že ten, kto má opačný názor, nie je nepriateľ". Denník N (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  3. ^ Kniš, Viktor. "Kto je budúci premiér Eduard Heger?". refresher.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  4. ^ Kern, Miro (28 March 2021). "Nekonfliktný charizmatik a obchodník s vodkou: premiérom bude Eduard Heger". Denník N (in Slovak).
  5. ^ Mikušovič, Dušan (28 February 2020). "Krúžky majú v našich voľbách veľkú váhu, voliči môžu stranám prekopať kandidátky". Denník N. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Official profile on the party website". OĽaNO (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  7. ^ Bariak, Ladislav; Debnár, Ján (28 March 2021). "Koalíčná kríza: Matovič sa chce vymeniť s Hegerom". Aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Sulík: Hegerova vláda priniesla upokojenie vzťahov". Teraz.sk (in Slovak). 9 July 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  9. ^ Tkačenko, Peter. "Toto je autentický Heger (komentár)". Sme (in Slovak).
  10. ^ a b Hudec, Michal (7 April 2022). "Slovak, Austrian PM's to join EU leaders on Kyiv trip". Euractiv. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  11. ^ "No confidence vote topples Slovakia coalition government". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Čaputová odvolala vládu. Heger neplánuje obetovať Matoviča". Pravda (in Slovak). 16 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Heger vystoupil z Matovičova hnutí, založil vlastní stranu". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Slovenský premiér Heger končí v Matovičově hnutí. Stal se lídrem Demokratů". Deník (in Czech). 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Branislav Škripek o spájaní s KDH / Experiment s OĽaNO sa pre mňa skončil (video + text)". Denník Postoh (in Slovak). Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ^ von der Burchard, Hans (14 June 2022). "Slovakia's PM urges Germany to accept Ukraine as EU candidate". Politico Europe. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Heger Warns Russia Could Threaten Slovakia If Ukraine Falls". TASR. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Uhrík sa pýtal Hegera, či by na Ukrajinu poslal slovenských vojakov v rámci akcie NATO. "Samozrejme," odvetil rázne Heger". Štandard (in Slovak). Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  19. ^ Odkladal, Martin (15 March 2021). "Ministerstvo financií vyvracia hoax o dramatickom zvyšovaní daní z nehnuteľností, ktorý sa šíri na sociálnych sieťach". Aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  20. ^ Koreň, Marián (30 June 2021). "Slovak, Hungarian leaders meet in Budapest". Euractiv. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  21. ^ Magušin, Michal. "Premiér Eduard Heger / Hlasoval by som za Záborskej zákon, život treba chrániť od počatia". Denník Postoj (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  22. ^ Hanus, Martin; Majchrák, Jozef. "Charizmatik v parlamente: Patríme do politiky". Denník Postoj (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  23. ^ Hudec, Michal (14 June 2022). "Slovakia backs Ukraine's EU ambition without shortcuts". Euractiv. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Про нагородження Е. Хегера орденом "За заслуги"". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 23 August 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance
2020–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Slovakia
2021–2023 		Succeeded by
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