Bratislava - The Slovak government candidate, Mr Rudolf Schuster, has been elected president after defeating former prime minister, Mr Vladimir Meciar, according to official results from the central electoral commission yesterday. Although the powers of the presidency are largely ceremonial, the election has been closely watched by both financial markets and foreign governments, anxious to see greater stability on the country's troubled political scene.
Mr Schuster took 57 per cent of the vote compared with 43 per cent for Mr Meciar in a second and final round of voting on Saturday. Turnout was 75.5 per cent.
Mr Schuster has pledged to push Slovakia forward to membership of the EU and unite his country.
