THE CENTRAL Election Commission (UVK) has officially registered all 18 political parties that applied by the deadline of March 14 to compete for votes in the June 12 national elections.
UVK drew a lot on March 23 to allocate numbers to registered parties, under which they will run in the elections, the SITA newswire reported.
Number one was assigned to an outsider – the European Democratic Party, the Union - Party for Slovakia will run under number 2 while the Roma Coalition Party will compete as number 3.
The recently established Paliho Kapurková Merry Political Party goes to elections with number 4, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) has number 5. The Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) was allocated 6, the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) 7, the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) 8, the Communist Party of Slovakia (KSS) 9, the Slovak National Party (SNS) 10, New Democracy 11, the Association of Slovak Workers (ZRS) 12, the Christian-Democratic Movement (KDH) 13, The People's Party - Our Slovakia, a party led by known far-right activist Marian Kotleba, got number 14, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) 15, the party AZEN 16, Smer 17 and Most-Híd will run under number 18.
Political entities, which want to run in the elections, had to submit a confirmation on paying an election deposit of €16,596. The Interior Ministry will return the payment within one month of the announcement of the election outcome to the parties or coalitions, which will win at least 2 percent of the total number of valid votes. Deposits will not be returned, but instead be transferred to the Slovak state budget.
On May 22, 2010 the election campaign starts 21 days before the elections. Public services such as: Slovak Television and Slovak Radio are set to broadcast political advertisements and discussions. The private media can join the election campaign as well. Political parties or coalitions will cover the costs of political advertisements broadcast by public service and licensed media. On Election Day, there will be a ban on publication of outcomes of election polls. The ban is effective until polling stations close. The election information moratorium was cancelled in Slovakia.
The registered parties, as well as individual candidates featured on their slates, can withdraw from the election race until 48 hours before the start of the elections, the Sme daily reported.
Compiled by Michaela Stanková from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
