Little interest in Europe as Slovaks focus on jobless rate

Country profile: Slovakia Slovakia, in common with many other EU member-states, had a lacklustre European election campaign.

Slovak voters have shown little interest in the European Parliament and, according to the most recent Eurobarometer poll, they see unpopular austerity measures and 16 per cent unemployment as the most pressing issues facing Slovakia.

"European issues were missing almost entirely from the campaign in Slovakia, partly because the parties don't have strong positions anyway. They also try to meet their voters' expectations - and the voters want them to deal with domestic issues," says Ms Olga Gyárfáová of the Institute for Public Affairs in Bratislava.

"But people here will grow up to the reality of the EU. The election is so soon after we joined the EU and it's a very theoretical and abstract debate about how the Parliament works and its various competences. Some countries already have a profile on specific issues, such as the Poles on agriculture and voting weights, but that it is not the case in Slovakia."

Voter apathy will be reflected in a turnout expected to be one of the lowest in the EU, at around 25 per cent.

The opposition SMER party is expected to top the Slovak election to the European Parliament. The centre-left party, headed by Mr Robert Fico, one of Slovakia's most respected politicians, is expected to capture 18.6 per cent, thus gaining three seats, according to a poll by the SITA agency. SMER based its campaign on reform of the EU, as well as job creation, increased investment in education and the fight against terrorism.

The ruling Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU) of Prime Minister Mikulá Dzurinda is expected to come in second, with 13.6 per cent. Mr Dzurinda came under fire during the campaign after he was accused of hijacking the outgoing president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, by bringing him to a SDKU political rally.

Mr Cox shared the stage at that rally with Mr Peter tastný, the Slovak hockey legend Mr Dzurinda has persuaded to run as the SDKU's lead candidate. Mr tastný is nothing short of a hero in Slovakia: he defected from the former Czechoslovakia 20 years ago and became one of the highest scorers during a 15-year career in the North American National Hockey League.

And unlike former porn star Dolly Buster, a European election candidate in the neighbouring Czech Republic, Mr tastný is almost certain to be elected. Nevertheless, he has had to fend off criticism that he has little knowledge of the reality of life in Slovakia today.

"Even when I'm abroad, I keep a close eye on events at home through dailies and other media," he told the Slovak Spectator newspaper.