Pellegrini: I Hope for Downward Trend in Election Turnout to Stop

Banska Bystrica, November 10 (TASR) – It’s important for people in Slovakia not to underestimate the municipal elections, as without realising it, mayors often have stronger influence on the quality of people’s lives than the Government, stated Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) on Saturday after casting his ballot in the ongoing local elections.

As a native of Banska Bystrica, the premier cast his vote in a polling station in the city’s Jan Bakoss Primary School shortly before 10.30 a.m. He added that he has chosen his favourites in advance.

“It’s important for people to make use of their right and vote. Not all of the taxes that the employed pay go to the state coffer – 70 percent of them go to towns and villages and 30 percent to the regions. Therefore it’s highly important for them to come to vote today and choose the people who will lead our towns and villages for the next four years,” said the premier.

According to Pellegrini, the election turnout in the previous local elections in 2014 was lower than the turnout in the same elections before. “I wouldn’t like this downward trend of election turnout to continue. It doesn’t fit a democratic society,” the premier told TASR, adding that if the turnout is high, the elected candidates gain more legitimate power.