Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár of Smer has moved to place another political ally in a senior diplomatic role, nominating Alexander Sako as consul general in Istanbul.
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Sako, who briefly led the state rail company ŽSR, is also the former husband of Economy Minister Denisa Saková. His career, however, has been shaped less by her party, Hlas, than by long-standing ties to Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák of Smer, the dominant partner in Slovakia’s ruling coalition.
The Istanbul posting is a significant one, reports Denník N. While consuls general do not require presidential approval, their role extends well beyond administrative services: they represent Slovak political, cultural and economic interests in Turkey’s largest city. With Ankara the formal capital and Istanbul the country’s financial hub, the consulate is viewed as a strategic outpost.
Sako’s appointment would cut short the mandate of Ján Gábor, a veteran diplomat who has been in the role for little over a year. According to government insiders, Sako has already begun preparations, subject to a security clearance and familiarisation process.
Neither Sako nor the Foreign Ministry has addressed questions about his qualifications. The ministry said only that it communicates personnel changes “transparently” and would continue to do so.
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The Istanbul nomination is seen by some observers as serving more than ceremonial functions. Turkey is a growing force in the global arms market, exporting drones and armoured vehicles, and positioning itself as a partner for European defence industries. Kaliňák has floated the possibility of procuring Turkish tanks as a lower-cost option compared with German or South Korean models. Maintaining close diplomatic ties in Istanbul could strengthen those channels.
Sako resigned from the railways in May following controversy over land he and Saková own near the site of a planned new state hospital in Bratislava-Vajnory. Critics argued that the value of the property would rise significantly once construction begins. He denied wrongdoing, citing personal reasons for stepping down and condemning what he called political pressure on his family.
Union leaders had already been critical of his leadership at ŽSR, accusing him of lacking strategy and failing to modernise the network. Before joining the railways, he held senior positions in the state gas sector, also under Smer’s patronage.
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The Istanbul move comes amid a series of political appointments to Slovakia’s diplomatic service. In Prague, the government has installed Martin Muránsky, a former head of Smer’s think-tank. Budapest has been assigned to former economy minister Pavol Pavlis, while Jozef Migaš, once leader of the Democratic Left, has been posted to Minsk. The government also plans to send independent and nationalist MP Miroslav Radačovský to Cyprus, a shift that would free his parliamentary seat for Slovak National Party deputy chair Zdenko Čambal.
