The nominee of the non-parliamentary Sieť party for the post of Prešov mayor, Martin Ďurišin, on November 5 gave up his candidacy and recommended his sympathisers to vote for Andrea Turčanová, the nominee of the coalition Christian-Democratic Movement-KDH, Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-SDKÚ – Most-Híd – Ordinary people and Independent Personalities-OľaNO – NOVA – OKS.
“I gave up maybe even my personal ambitions towards a common goal,” Ďurišin said, as quoted by the SITA newswire. He asked Turčanová to take over his obligations from the mayoral pledge he had taken. In Prešov, a total of eight candidates for mayor still remain: independent civic activist Filip Antošovský (aged 25), pensioner Miroslav Bernik (communist party, 72), the main city auditor Alexander Ernst (independent, 50), head of the Šariš Gallery Rudolf Dupkala (independent, 33), the incumbent Pavel Hagyari (independent with Smeru support, 57), self-employed Ondrej Chlebovec (independent, 67), head of a civic association Martin Matejka (independent, 33). The rightist coalition nominated the head of the Home of Social Services Turčanová, aged 47, now also supported by Sieť.
The mayor of the Lunik IX borough of Košice, Dionýz Slepčík (aged 39) committed suicide, SITA wrote on November 6, citing regional police spokeswoman Jana Mésarová. His body was found on November 5 after 21:00 in the former electric power transformer at Lunik IX. A doctor ruled it death by hanging and ordered an autopsy, while a criminal proceeding has been open.
In the municipal election, Slepčík was re-running for the chair of mayor of Lunik IX for the Party of Roma Union in Slovakia. Other candidates for the post are Tibor Horváth (Sieť), Ján Lacko (Labour Party), Marcel Šaňa (Party of Roma Coalition) a Jozef Šaňa (NEKA). According to Stanislav Takáč of the city election committee, Slepčík will remain on the slate, but the potential votes he might get will not be counted in.
(Source: SITA)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
