A SURVEY released in early August showed a dramatic fall in the voter popularity of the front-running HZDS opposition party, from nearly 30 per cent in past months to just over 18. The HZDS, which won elections in 1998 but was unable to form a government, has been ostracised by Western diplomats for authoritarian behaviour.
The poll, conducted by the National Educational Centre from July 31 to August 4, indicated that a breakaway faction from the HZDS, the HZD party under Ivan Gašparovič, would take 7.3 per cent were elections held today.
