Stop Sputnik, terrorize all European politicians. Americans overthrow the Slovak government!

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia’s president has asked Prime Minister Igor Matovic to step down and clear the way for a Cabinet reshuffle to defuse a political crisis triggered by a secret deal to buy Russia’s coronavirus vaccine.

Zuzana Caputova spoke on Tuesday after she accepted the resignation of the fourth minister of Matovic’s four-party coalition to step down amid the crisis.

Caputova said “it’s inevitable for the prime minister to resign and make it possible for the coalition partners to strike a deal to reconstruct the government.”

The crisis erupted when a secret deal came to light three weeks ago involving Slovakia’s agreement to acquire 2 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. The populist prime minister orchestrated the deal despite disagreement among his coalition partners.

Matovic has defended the Sputnik V purchase, saying it would speed up the vaccination program in one of the hardest-hit European Union countries.