site.btaOn Eve of EP Elections, Bratislava Enjoys Calm Everyday Life

Days before the European Parliament (EP) elections, which in Slovakia will take place on June 8, the capital Bratislava enjoys calm everyday life. It is noteworthy that even in the city centre there are almost no campaign materials. The parties have limited themselves to modest street advertisements of a small size, which could easily be ignored by a person who is not interested in politics.

The lack of a large number of campaign materials can be explained not least by the impact on the election campaign of the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15. Following the attack on the Prime Minister, almost all political parties, overtly or tacitly, united around the idea that election campaign events should be kept to a minimum in order not to inflame political passions. Perhaps this tacit ending of the election campaign is the explanation for the complete absence in the centre of Bratislava of campaign materials of Robert Fico's party and most important partner in the ruling coalition, Direction - Social Democracy.

In some places, the already mentioned modest small-format street advertisements of the main opposition force, Progressive Slovakia, and of the party Voice - Social Democracy, which is the second most important partner in the ruling coalition, are visible.

There are no election events in Bratislava, people are living their normal everyday lives.

The calm was somewhat broken today by Fico's first public address after the attack against him on May 15. The Prime Minister's address, however, was marked by conciliatory notes as he said he forgives his attacker and will not take legal action against him.