Slovak PM to Be Asked to Form Government

party, which remains Mečiar`s Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), is given a first chance to try to lure rival parties into a coalition. Gašparovič, himself a senior HZDS member, told journalists this was the reason for the move despite opposition pledges to use its combined majority to form its own government following the election. "I will ask HZDS to try and form a government. The tradition is that the winner of the election is appointed and I will appoint the winner of these elections," he said. HZDS emerged narrowly as the biggest single party, but the combined opposition took a big majority of seats and had started government talks amongst themselves. HZDS would need the support of the reformed communist Party of the Democratic Left (SDL) to have any hope of continuing in government. Immediately after Gašparovič finished speaking, the SDL`s chairman, Jozef Migaš, vigorously restated his opposition to any cooperation with Mečiar`s party, let alone its far right partner the Slovak National Party (SNS). "For SDL it is unacceptable to form a government coalition with HZDS and SNS. The only alternative for creation of a government is with the current opposition parties," Jozef Migaš told a news conference. If SDL and the three other opposition parties are as good as their word, Gašparovič`s decision can only delay the inevitable fall of Mečiar`s government. Parliament must be re-called within 30 days of the poll. The SDL, the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and the other parties involved in opposition talks - the smaller Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) and the centre-left Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) - have all said they want to use their huge majority to push through sweeping political reform. The SDK and the SDL held bilateral talks on Wednesday. Apart from measures to strengthen the legal system, bring the security services under tighter control, and change the constitution, all the opposition parties say they are in favour of a market economy, and joining NATO and the European Union.