Slovakia holds presidential vote amid divisions
>> BRATISLAVA: Slovakians began voting yesterday to choose a new president with the outcome determining whether the EU and Nato member shifts further towards Russia.
Ivan Korcok, a 60-year-old pro-Western ex foreign minister, and Peter Pellegrini, 48, a Ukraine-sceptic backed by the ruling populists, are vying to replace the outgoing liberal President Zuzana Caputova.
They are squaring off in a decisive second round as neither won the minimum 50% in last month’s ballot.
Though the office is largely ceremonial, Slovakia’s president ratifies international treaties, appoints top judges, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and can veto laws passed by parliament.
The final pre-election poll by the Focus agency put Mr Korcok and parliament speaker Pellegrini neck-andneck, with Mr Pellegrini gaining 51% of the vote and Mr Korcok 49%.
“This is the tightest ever presidential race,” said Vaclav Hrich, managing director of the AKO polling agency.
Stefan Harabin, who placed third after criticising the European Union and hailing Russian President Vladimir Putin, did not formally back either candidate.
“It is an important 12 percent that Harabin got,” political analyst Tomas Koziak told AFP, adding that “Korcok is unlikely to win those votes”.
According to AKO, over two thirds of Harabin voters intend to support Mr Pellegrini.
Yet Hrich said the election was “too close to call” and said turnout will be decisive.
“The more people vote, the more chances Peter Pellegrini will have as this would mean he had succeeded convincing Harabin’s voters,” he said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became a fixture of the electoral campaign in the country of 5.4 million after Prime Minister Robert Fico questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine and called for peace with Russia.
Mr Pellegrini was a minister in Mr Fico’s previous governments and was head of government from 2018 to 2020 when his long-time ally was toppled.
“I am running for president to rescue the government of Robert Fico,” Mr Pellegrini said in a televised debate.
Mr Korcok fired back: “You want to protect the government. I want to protect Slovakia.”
Mr Fico’s government that took office in October includes his Smer party, Mr Pellegrini’s Hlas and the small far-right SNS, and has discontinued military aid to Ukraine.
“Korcok is a warmonger, who will support everything the West tells him without hesitation, including dragging Slovakia into the war,” Mr Fico said in a video.
He expressed support for Mr Pellegrini, positively describing him as “a moderate candidate who recognises the value of peace”.