Slovak president gives mandate to Fico to form new government

Slovakia’s president on Monday asked the leader of the winning party in the country’s parliamentary election to try to form a coalition government.

Transcript

00:00 Slovakia's president has asked the leader of the winning party in the country's parliamentary

00:04 election to try to form a coalition government.

00:08 Populist Robert Fico and his leftist smear or direction party won 22.9% of the vote on

00:15 Saturday.

00:16 Fico has repeatedly attacked liberal president Zuzana Čaputova, accusing her of being an

00:22 American agent and serving foreign interests.

00:24 "Even though we are divided, we have to respect each other as people.

00:31 The outcome of the elections will not change our values and I believe that our joint efforts

00:36 for a just and democratic society will not change either."

00:41 Slovakia has accused Russia of interfering in Saturday's parliamentary elections, but

00:46 the Russian embassy in Bratislava on Monday denied any involvement.

00:51 During his electoral campaign, Fico vowed to withdraw Slovakia's military support for

00:56 Ukraine.

00:57 [WHOOSH]

00:59 (whooshing)