Leftist Party Wins Slovak Elections

(RFE/RL) June 18, 2006 -- After preliminary results were all totaled today, Slovakia's leftist Smer party was declared the victor of the June 17 parliamentary elections.

Smer leader Robert Fico said the party would break with the reforms implemented under current Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda.


"Our program has got significant support in Slovakia. It means, if Social Democrats will be part of the government, [there will be] further development of the economy. It will be more advantageous for the majority of people and not for a few people, as it has been until now," Fico said.


Smer did not win a majority in parliament, taking slightly more than 29 percent of the vote. Dzurinda's Slovak Democratic and Christian party received about 18 percent.


(AP, Reuters)