Ivan Korčok is anticipated to officially announce his presidential candidacy at a press conference on Wednesday morning after President Zuzana Čaputová announced her decision not to seek reelection due to personal reasons.
During Tuesday’s morning press conference, Korčok will fulfil his promise to announce whether he will run for the office of Slovakia’s president before the end of August. Circumstances of the announcement, which will take place in a historic building in Korčok’s hometown, suggest he has made the decision to run in spring 2024.
Čaputová, who said she will not seek reelection in June, has indirectly supported his candidacy, saying she “hopes” for it.
“I have to evaluate what kind of life change the candidacy would bring,” Korčok said in an interview for Denník N in June, adding he also has to make financing plans. Čaputová’s decision was in part influenced by death threats to her and her family.
Korčok served as Slovakia’s Foreign Minister from 2020 to 2022, when he resigned to show his disapproval of the politics of former Prime Minister Igor Matovič. Previously, he served as Slovak Ambassador to the US and in Brussels.
His potential candidacy has drawn attention not only for his diplomatic experience, but also for his commitment to the European Union, NATO, and the Western trajectory of Slovakia’s foreign policy.
The role of the presidency holds particular significance in light of the upcoming September snap election. The frontrunner Smer party has made headlines with its promise to curtail support for Ukraine. This position contrasts sharply with Korčok’s advocacy for continuing support to Ukraine in its pursuit of stability and territorial integrity. If elected, Korčok’s presidency could serve as a counterbalance.
An August poll showed that in case of a runoff with Smer leader and former PM Robert Fico, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2014, Korčok would win. However, in case of a runoff with Smer defector and former PM Peter Pellegrini, the leader of the Hlas party, currently polling third, would have the upper hand.
(Barbara Zmušková | EURACTIV.sk)
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