BRATISLAVA - Saturday's first round of Slovakia's presidential election, which was won by former Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok, shook the position of the incumbent favourite, Parliament Speaker Peter Pellegrini. The country is facing the closest contest for the seat of head of state since the introduction of direct elections in 1999 in a crucial second round, the Slovak press reports. Some newspapers are treating the vote as a referendum on the ruling coalition or on the prime minister and chairman of the Smer-Social Democracy party, Robert Fico, who has backed Pellegrini, the head of another ruling party, the Voice of Social Democracy, in his presidential bid.
"The first round of the presidential election has shaken the position of Peter Pellegrini as the paper favourite for the post of head of state. It gives hope to Ivan Korčok that the fight for the presidential palace is not a foregone conclusion, despite the polls," the daily Pravda reported.
On Saturday, when nine candidates competed for the presidency, Korčok received 42.51 % of the vote and Pellegrini 37.02 %. The decisive direct election duel with the two most successful candidates from the first round will be held on 6 April.
According to the Sme newspaper, the first round of the referendum on Fico was won by voters who do not want to completely hand over the country to a government that is attacking the rule of law, independent media and civil society. "However, Korčok's victory in the second round is not certain unless he gains further support. Or if his voters settle for this result," the paper wrote. It added that in the second round, the next president will also be decided by people who would not hesitate to hand the office over to Stefan Harabin and his disinformation hit squad.
Former Justice Minister Harabin, who has pro-Russian views and is in favour of Slovakia's withdrawal from NATO, received 11.73 % of the vote on Saturday and came in third place.
"The most important message of the first round is very simple: that Slovakia is not Fico. There are still many people who do not want him to drag us to Russia to control the media, intimidate free people, rape justice and amnesty his friends," Denník N wrote, adding that the decision will be made in two weeks and that Pellegrini's unexpected loss in the first round may mobilise his voters.
CTK/gnews.cz-JaV_07
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