UPDATE 1-Slovak MPs postpone vote on speaker until Tuesday

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Slovak lawmakers postponed until Tuesday a confidence vote on the speaker of parliament, a test of unity for a ruling coalition threatened by tensions between members.

The three-party coalition has been on the verge of collapse since Prime Minister Robert Fico sacked Farm Minister Miroslav Jurena of the centrist Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) on Friday over disputed land deals.

The no-confidence motion, initiated by the opposition, comes at a crucial time for leftist leader Fico in his drive to bring the ex-communist European Union nation into the euro single currency zone in 2009.

Deputies had been expected to vote on Monday but adjourned the session until Tuesday morning after lengthy interventions, parliamentary officials said.

HZDS, upset by the farm minister's dismissal, agreed on Saturday to stay in the ruling coalition, but it has stopped short of pledging full loyalty to Fico in the vote on parliamentary speaker, Pavol Paska.

Fico has repeatedly said the speaker must stay in his post to keep the coalition alive.

HZDS leader Vladimir Meciar refused to say on Monday how his party would vote in the no-confidence motion.

Fico defended his Smer party colleague Paska in Monday's debate. The opposition is upset that in his position as speaker, Paska ordered the publication of a law in a different form than that which was approved by parliament.

"The government considers reasons stated in the proposal for his dismissal as unfounded," Fico said.

Some analysts said HZDS could team up with the opposition to dismiss Paska in retribution for the farm minister's sacking.

Eleven government deputies would be needed to join the opposition in the secret vote to muster the 76 votes necessary to dismiss Paska. HZDS has 16 deputies in the 150-seat assembly.

The far-right Slovak National Party is the third member of the broad coalition.

Slovakia will be assessed on its euro application in spring 2008. The crown currency has so far shrugged off the deepest coalition row since its formation after the 2006 election.

(Reporting by Peter Laca; Editing by Keith Weir)

Keywords: SLOVAKIA COALITION/

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]