Slovakia prepares for an election that could change its relationship with Europe
The recent election of a populist government has pulled the country away from the European mainstream.
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00:00 Slovakia will return to the polls this Saturday for a second round of the presidential elections.
00:06 The duel is between the pro-European diplomat Ivan Korchok, who unexpectedly won the first
00:11 round with 42.5 percent of the votes, against Social Democrat Peter Pellegrini, current
00:18 Speaker of the Parliament and ally of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, close to Russia
00:24 and Hungary.
00:25 Korchok is expected to gather the votes of people dissatisfied with the government's
00:30 domestic policies and international isolation.
00:34 Pellegrini has criticized his rival for putting the interests of the EU above those of Slovakia.
00:39 Yet, he said that Slovakia's membership in the EU and NATO will not be put into question.
00:45 A victory for Pellegrini would cement Fico's power by giving him and his allies control
00:50 of strategic poles.
00:52 If Korchok wins, a difficult collaboration between the head of state and the executive
00:56 is expected.
00:57 [SWOOSH]