Slovakia pushes for EU membership

Dzurinda has made progress in talks on joining the EU

By Ray Furlong

The Slovak Prime Minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, has pledged to push ahead with efforts at joining the European Union after an opposition sponsored referendum calling for early parliamentary elections failed on Saturday.

Official figures showed that about 20% of voters took part in the referendum, below the 50% necessary to make it valid.

Meciar was ousted in elections two years ago

Slovakia's pro-western government has been waiting for this referendum result so that it could push on with reforms needed to get the country in shape for membership of the EU.

Mr Dzurinda told a news conference that he would now try to make use of the chance to continue his reform programme.

He said the referendum was about one man, the controversial former Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar, and his attempts to win back power.

Painful reforms

The referendum asked Slovaks whether they want new elections to be held halfway through the current government's term of office.

Mr Meciar had said this was necessary due to a political and economic crisis.

Mr Meciar was ousted in elections two years ago after being heavily criticised by the West for undemocratic practices.

Since then, the government has made progress in talks on joining the EU, but has also lost support at home due to painful economic reforms.

The latest EU progress report said Slovakia must speed up further reforms if it were to have any chance of catching up its neighbours Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic in the accession process.

That means disputes within the government coalition - which is made up of 11 parties - must be overcome.

Coalition leaders acknowledged this in a post-referendum television debate, promising to try to improve relations between the ruling parties.