Slovaks vote in Fascist as governor of Banská Bystrica Region

Voters in Slovakia have surprised pundits by electing right-wing extremist Marian Kotleba governor of the Banská Bystrica Region, a man who has organized anti-Romani marches and other ultra-right events. Kotleba won 55.5 % of the second round of voting, defeating incumbent Vladimír Maňka (Smer) by more than 14 000 votes.     

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) refuses to admit that his party has contributed to Kotleba’s success. Instead, he blames right-wing parties and the media’s analysis of Kotleba’s first-round results. 

"The campaigning you performed for Kotleba was unlike any other he ever had in his entire life," Fico told the media. The PM insists that many right-wing parties who promised their supporters would elect Maňka were ultimately unable to deliver votes for Smer.

"Undoubtedly right-wing voters chose Kotleba so Smer would lose," Fico said, adding that Kotleba’s approach of a "small courtyard and a long whip" will not resolve anything. Human rights activists announced they are holding a nationwide protest on 29 November, the day the new regional governor will take the oath of office.

Mária Oláhová, who runs an NGO community center in the town of Detva, is disappointed that Romani people did not turn out to vote against Kotleba. "Even though the Roma did not want one of the candidates to win, Romani voter turnout was very weak. Some Romani voters are disgusted, some take no interest, some are not afraid of Kotleba, and others don’t assign such importance to his election," Oláhová said in an interview for news server Sme.sk.