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Slovakia's president asks former PM Fico to form a cabinet — TV

Zuzana Caputova said earlier that Robert Fico's mandate to form a cabinet will be limited to about two weeks

BRATISLAVA, October 2. /TASS/. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova has entrusted former Prime Minister Robert Fico, leader of the Direction-Social Democracy (Smer) party, which won the parliamentary elections in the country, with the formation of the new government, according to a TA3 TV broadcast.

The Direction-Social Democracy party received the support of 22.94% of voters in the election. It managed to secure 42 out of 150 seats in the parliament. Thus, according to the established tradition, its leader will receive a mandate from the head of state to negotiate the composition of the government with the parties that have entered parliament.

Caputova said earlier that Fico's mandate to form a cabinet will be limited to about two weeks. If he fails to form a coalition based on a parliamentary majority, she will instruct the leaders of the parties that received less support from voters to form a government.

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