SaS Officially Supporting Robert Mistrik in Next Year's Presidential Elections

Bratislava, June 26 (TASR) – The strongest Opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party is officially supporting the candidacy of its former member Robert Mistrik in next year’s presidential elections, party leader Richard Sulik told a news conference on Tuesday.

Support for Mistrik was unanimously decided on by the SaS Republic Council. Extraparliamentary Together-Civic Democracy party led by Miroslav Beblavy had already expressed its support for Mistrik.

“We’ll support him not only verbally, but also financially. We want him to be the president. Robert Mistrik was our member, our party’s conscience. He decided to quit SaS in 2013 to dedicate himself to science and to his firm. He’s a man of principle, an honest family man. He does not turn his coat. He’s actually an independent person who has his opinion and is not afraid to say it, able to take firm and crucial positions,” said Sulik.

Mistrik said he believes he’ll be advanced to the second round of the presidential election. He admitted that he discussed his support with OLaNO leader Igor Matovic, too, but the discussion is still open. Sulik is also seeking OLaNO’s support for Mistrik.

If he fails in the presidential election, Mistrik will end his political career. “I definitely won’t join the party struggle or form any political parties. My goal is to become the president,” he said.

Robert Mistrik, former member and co-founder of SaS, first announced his candidacy on a social network, declaring that he wants to run for the post of the head of state as a non-partisan candidate. “Following President Andrej Kiska’s announcement [that he will not run in the next presidential election], I am determined to run for the presidential post in 2019 as a non-partisan candidate. In this important period I feel the need to continue in the fight for the character of the state and for European values,” he said.