With an Eye on EU, Slovaks Elect Moderate

Slovaks dealt a knockout blow to authoritarian former Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar in Saturday’s presidential election, choosing the more moderate Ivan Gasparovic just weeks before their nation is to join the European Union.

The nation’s electoral committee said today that according to preliminary results, Gasparovic, a former political ally of Meciar, took 59.91% of the vote with all 50 districts reporting.

“I thank all who have helped me to reach this result,” Gasparovic said at his election headquarters. “I hope that I will be able to show them my gratitude through my work.”

Gasparovic, 63, is largely known for his former loyalty to Meciar, 61.

The post of president is a largely ceremonial one in the Central European country of 5.4 million people, but the job has taken on symbolic importance as Slovakia prepares to join the EU on May 1. Nine other countries -- mostly Eastern European and formerly communist -- also are slated for membership.

Ironically, both candidates stalled such efforts to join international organizations when Meciar led Slovakia in the 1990s. His rule was criticized by the West for cronyism, intimidation of opposition figures and abuse of media rights, factors that earned Slovakia international isolation.

After Meciar’s Movement for a Democratic Slovakia lost power in 1998, Slovakia pushed hard to catch up to its neighbors in the race for EU membership, making up for lost time with reforms to bring democracy and a free-market economy.

By 2002, Gasparovic had distanced himself from Meciar and founded his own center-left party.

Still, the similarity between the two men left many of Slovakia’s 4.2 million voters feeling as if they had little choice.

“I really fought with myself about which one of them to choose,” said Albertin Marencin, 46. “But Meciar is absolutely unacceptable everywhere, while the second is only unacceptable at home.”

“I’ve decided for Gasparovic,” said Jan Vozar, a student. “But not really because of him -- but because of Europe -- as he is less known there.”