Miroslav Lajčák allegedly contemplating running for President

Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák (a Smer-SD nominee) is no longer adamant in rejecting a potential bid in next year's presidential race, TASR has learnt from a source inside the Smer-SD party. Minister Lajčák hasn't confirmed this information. The source stated that Lajčák has been persuaded to change his stance by public opinion polls as well as talks with party chair Robert Fico and the rest of the leadership. In an official communiqué, however, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel claimed that Lajčák is grateful for the public support, "but he continues to plan to deal with foreign affairs policies and the challenges faced by our diplomacy, in particular Slovakia's OSCE Presidency coming up next year". According to a poll conducted by the Focus agency in September, Lajčák would have won the first round of a presidential election.