Vladimír Mečiar was re-elected chairman of the governing-coalition Movement for Democratic Slovakia HZDS on June 9 at the party’s national congress in Nitra.
Mečiar won 217 out of 240 votes in an open ballot that was decided by a show of hands.
His only opponent was MP Tibor Mikuš, who is also chairman of the HZDS’ Trnava regional branch. Mikuš supported Viliam Veteška (HZDS vice-chair until the congress) for the post of party leader, but Veteška started experiencing serious health problems before the election and was unable to continue in the running.
Veteška was admitted to the neurological clinic in a Bratislava hospital on June 8.
Milan Urbáni was re-elected vice-chair of the HZDS and Agriculture Minister Miroslav Jureňa was elected party second vice-chair for economic policy. The party's chief secretary remains Zdenka Kramplová.
According to political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov, nobody could seriously expect any other result from the party congress.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
11. Jun 2007 at 10:25