(23 Mar 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
Bratislava - 23 March 2024
1. People waiting for the arrival of presidential candidate Ivan Korcok
2. People sitting
3. Men discussing
4. Michal Simecka, leader of the largest opposition party, standing next to a banner
5. SOUNDBITE (Slovak) Mikulas Dzurinda, former Prime Minister of Slovakia:
"But as always, when elections happen, it will be an adrenaline rush, such a pleasant excitement, and I believe it will have a good ending."
6. Korcok getting out of car
7. Korcok speaking at headquarters
8. Korcok addressing supporters
9. SOUNDBITE (Slovak) Ivan Korčok presidential candidate:
"I want to thank everyone who already voted and, as it is still possible to vote in some polling stations and to take advantage of the moment until the end of the moratorium, which will be 22:30, I would ask everyone who did not make it and who has a few minutes to use their right to do so."
10. Campaign badges
11. Campaign stickers
12. Stickers on the desk
STORYLINE:
Voters in Slovakia cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a successor to Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president.
Former Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok, 59, a pro-Western career diplomat is the main rival to leading candidate Peter Pellegrini for the largely ceremonial post of president.
Korčok addressed his supporters after polling closed at 2100 GMT (5 p.m. EDT).
The results are expected on Sunday.
Korčok had also served as Slovakia's ambassador to the United States and Germany, and firmly supports his country's membership in the EU and NATO.
Pellegrini is a close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico and leads a field of nine candidates in the first round of the presidential election.
If no candidate gets a majority, which is expected, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on April 6.
Pellegrini heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party that finished third in the September parliamentary election.
His party joined a ruling coalition with Fico’s leftist party and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party.
The new government immediately halted arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Most public polls expect a narrow victory for Pellegrini in the first round.
AP video shot by Bela Szandelszky
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