Election24: Six Extra-parliamentary Parties Call on People to Vote for Korcok

Bratislava, April 2 (TASR) - Six extra-parliamentary political parties - the Democrats, the Democratic Party, Forum, Blues-European Party (Blues-ES), Slovak Civic Democrats (ODS) and the Roma Coalition Party - have published a joint statement, calling on people to participate in the run-off round of the presidential election on Saturday (April 6) and to vote for candidate Ivan Korcok. The parties view Korcok as a guarantee in terms of preserving the democratic rule of law and Slovakia's foreign-political orientation. "We consider it to be our duty to prevent [Premier Robert] Fico (Smer-SD) from gaining absolute power and being able to complete the dismantling of the rule of law, as well as a change in foreign-political orientation," stated the parties. There has been a dramatic political development and a fundamental change in the domestic and foreign-policy direction of Slovakia since the snap general election, stated the parties. They pointed to an undermining of democratic institutions and fundamental pillars of democratic and civil society to an extent that they view as threatening the continuation of a free and democratic order. Democrats leader Jaroslav Nad called Korcok a representative of the good that can help Slovakia in its future growth. Jozef Rajtar declared unambiguous support for the candidate on behalf of the Democratic Party. Ethnic-Hungarian Forum leader Zsolt Simon views the presidential election as a chance for Slovakia and encouraged representatives of ethnic-Hungarian and other minorities to vote for Korcok. Blues chairman Lubos Schwarzbacher stressed that every single vote matters. ODS chair Pavel Macko highlighted Korcok's career as a diplomat and his clear opinions. ko/df