New Slovak coalition to form government

Mr Dzurinda (right) was asked to form new government by president Shuster

Slovak President Rudolf Schuster has asked the outgoing prime minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, to form a new government.

The move, which had been widely expected, will allow Mr Dzurinda to head a four-party centre-right coalition of Christian Democrats, Liberals, and ethnic Hungarians.

The parties won a six-seat majority in the 150-seat parliament in general elections last week. Despite the slim majority, the parties are expected to present a united front.

The 47-year-old Mr Dzurinda called the election results "a victory of citizens who want to enter into the Europen Union and Nato."

Correspondents say the development will reassure the EU and Nato, both of which are expected to issue membership invitations to Slovakia later this year.

Both organisations had earlier suggested that they would shun the country if the former nationalist prime minister, Vladimir Meciar, returned to power as a result of last week's elections.

The United States also opposed Mr Meciar's leadership.

The party led by Mr Meciar emerged as the largest party in the new Slovakian parliament, winning 19.5% of the votes, but was unable to form a coalition.