Two opposition parties united within the People’s Platform introduced their joint presidential candidate. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and Most-Híd will support Pavol Hrušovský, the former chairman of the Christian Democrats and the party’s current caucus leader, the TASR newswire reported on June 28.
“Slovakia needs a president without a communist past, and who respects the constitution. KDH has such a candidate, it is Pavol Hrušovský,” said current KDH chair Ján Figeľ, as quoted by TASR.
KDH is now waiting to see whether the other party in the People’s Platform, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), will support Hrušovský. Figeľ said that he expects the SDKÚ to react positively to their nomination, or to at least offer a ‘reasonable’ proposal for a candidate that has not appeared yet.
Béla Bugár, chair of Most-Híd, said that his party supports Hrušovský as a candidate. Moreover, if the SDKÚ does not back him as a candidate, it will not mean the end of the People’s Platform.
“The People’s Platform did not emerge only for the presidential election ... that would have been pathetic,” Bugár added, as quoted by TASR.
Hrušovský confirmed to the press that he is ready to run for the presidential post, but stressed that he insists on the SDKÚ’s support. He did not respond to the question about what will happen if the party decides not to support him.
“Let’s not talk about conditions,” Hrušovský said, as quoted by TASR. “Let’s talk about a common course of action. It is necessary to wait for the stance of SDKÚ.”
Yet, Hrušovský did not specify how long he will wait.
SDKÚ chair Pavol Frešo has yet to comment on Hrušovský’s candidacy, but he said on June 28 that he would be glad if former prime minister Iveta Radičová, who was the main rival of current President Ivan Gašparovič in 2009 elections, changed her mind and ran for the post, TASR reported.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
