The Slovak Communist Party (KSS) announced on August 12 that Milan Sidor is its nominee for the 2009 presidential elections.
Sidor sees Slovakia's future in the strengthening of centre-left values. He views the current coalition, and Smer in particular, as his strategic partner.
"I think that the forces around (Prime Minister) Robert Fico and (Deputy PM) Dušan Čaplovič protect the interests of people in a natural way," Sidor said.
Sidor believes that the KSS leadership will be able to overcome its current state and create a dynamic leftist party of a revolutionary type, supported by the widest groups of people.
"The idea of my campaign does not come straight from me. I decided after several phases of consideration, mainly after the KSS Regional Conference in Prešov, the KSS leadership in Bratislava and the Central Committee of the Communist Party (UV KSS) all recommended me to do so in unison," Sidor said.
Sidor, 57, is currently the director of the Education, Art and Sports Institute in Prešov. He is the head of the regional office of the Slavic Solidarity Association in Prešov, and a member of the International Slavic Committee in Prague. By announcing his candidacy, Sidor has joined Ivan Šimko (Misia 21), Iveta Radičová (SDKÚ), František Mikloško (KDS), Stanislav Pánis (SNJ) and independent candidates Július Kubík and Dagmar Bollová.
Incumbent President Ivan Gašparovič has yet to announce a bid for re-election, as he is widely expected to. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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