Putin's ally becomes the president of Slovakia

2024-04-07 08:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

A close ally of Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico won Saturday's election over a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia's new president, succeeding the first president, Zuzana ?aputová. of the state.

The Speaker of the Parliament, Peter Pellegrini, received 53.26 percent of the votes against the former Foreign Minister Ivan Korçok, who won 46.73 percent of the votes.

"I can promise that I will be the president of all Slovak citizens", said Peter Pellegrini. "I can promise that I will always be by Slovakia's side."

Mr Pellegrini becomes the sixth Slovak president since the country gained independence after the breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Ms ?aputová, a staunch supporter of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, did not seek a second term in the largely ceremonial post.

The president of the country with 5.4 million inhabitants appoints the prime minister after the parliamentary elections, the new government is sworn in before him and appoints the judges of the Constitutional Court. The president can also veto laws, although parliament can override the veto with a simple majority, and challenge them in the Constitutional Court. The president also has the right to pardon the convicted.

The government, led by the prime minister, holds executive power.

Mr Pellegrini's victory will cement Prime Minister Fico's power, giving him and his allies control over strategic posts.

Prime Minister Fico's left-wing Smer (Direction) party won the September 30 parliamentary elections on a pro-Russian and anti-American platform.

Mr Pellegrini, 48, heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, which came third in last year's parliamentary elections, and favors a strong role for the state. His party was included in a governing coalition with Prime Minister Fico's left-wing Smer (Direction) party and the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party.

Critics worry that Slovakia under Prime Minister Fico will abandon its pro-Western orientation and follow the example of populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Hungary.

The new government immediately stopped all arms shipments to Ukraine. Thousands of people have protested across Slovakia recently against Prime Minister Fico's pro-Russian policies, including plans to change the criminal code and clamp down on public media.

Ivan Korçok was critical of government actions that protesters fear undermine the rule of law, while Mr. Pellegrini supported the new government and did not question its policies.

Before serving as foreign minister in 2020-2022, Ivan Korçok, 60, served as ambassador to the United States and Germany. He was also the country's envoy to NATO and the European Union and is a staunch supporter of these two organizations.

He accepted the defeat and congratulated the winner, although he expressed "disappointment" with the result of the elections.

Mr Pellegrini, who was Fico's former deputy in the Smer party, became prime minister in 2018 after Mr Fico was forced to resign following massive anti-government protests that followed the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancee.

Mr. Pellegrini was temporarily separated from Mr. Fico, after the scandal-hit Smer party lost the 2020 elections. /VOA