Slovakian poll paves the way to EU entry

Slovakian hopes of joining Nato and the European Union were boosted yesterday when preliminary election results showed an authoritarian former prime minister had made his worst showing yet.

The results put Vladimir Meciar's HZDS party first with 19.5 per cent – more than 7 percentage points below its 1998 results. The SDKU party of Mikulas Dzurinda, the Prime Minister, was second at 15 per cent – better than expected. His economic reforms have led to falling living standards and widespread discontent.

Third was the Smer party of leftist Robert Fico, with 13.46 per cent. It was followed by three centre-right parties, all expected to be part of the next coalition government, with the SDKU.

Despite finishing first, Mr Meciar's party has little chance of a comeback, having been rejected by potential coalition partners. They have been warned by Washington and Brussels that Slovakia had little chance of joining Nato and the EU under Mr Meciar because of his poor democratic record in his five years in office after the creation of an independent Slovakia in 1993.

Eric van der Linden, the EU ambassador to Slovakia, said: "Everyone is in all satisfied with the result." (AP)