Slovakia's leftist Smer party promised a radical break with economic reforms Sunday after winning Saturday parliamentary election.

Smer, led by populist Robert Fico, faces an uphill struggle to form a coalition government after failing to win an outright majority in Saturday's parliamentary election, the first since the nation joined the European Union in 2004.

Full provisional results showed Smer won 29 percent of the votes and Dzurinda's party secured 18 percent. Long coalition talks are likely and reformist Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda might yet hang on to power if Fico fails to find any partners. The talks are likely to decide the future of reforms which included introduction of a flat tax rate, won plaudits abroad and transformed the nation of 5.4 million people into one of Europe's fastest growing economies.

They could also determine whether Slovakia adopts the euro single currency in 2009 as planned.

Vowing to rein in reforms he says have left many people behind, Fico told supporters: "Fast economic growth will no longer be for the benefit of a narrow group of people."
Fico then led party faithful in a rendition of the national anthem, one of few signs of celebration.

He signalled he will try to woo center-right parties that have traditionally been allied to Dzurinda rather than make advances to fringe groups such as a nationalist party which came third with 11.7 percent of the votes.

"We want a center or center-left government that will establish solidarity and reduce the differences that have grown between economic groups because of eight years of Dzurinda's reforms," he said during a televised debate.

Fico vowed to respect Slovakia's target of adopting the euro in 2009 but left the door open to a revision of the date.

"We confirm January 1, 2009, as the euro date but in case it's not favorable for the country, we could think about revising it," he said.

President Ivan Gasparovic is likely to first ask Fico to form a government and, if he fails, then turn to Dzurinda.

Dzurinda, eastern Europe's longest serving leader after eight years at the helm, refused to accept defeat.

The combined vote for Dzurinda's Democratic and Christian Union and his two most obvious allies was just over 38 percent, and he would need one more partner to gain a majority in the 150-seat parliament if Fico fails in his bid.

Dzurinda urged the two parties the Ethnic Hungarian Party and the Christian Democrats to stick together, keep Slovakia on the reform path and resist Fico's approaches.

"We have quite a strong position together and I hope our co-operation will be effective and productive," he said.

(China Daily June 19, 2006)