Slovak rural party adds Huliakovci to its name

Strana vidieka, a Slovak non-parliamentary rural party led by Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak, has adopted the name Strana vidieka Huliakovci. Delegates voted on the change at the party's republican congress in Očová on Monday, in a development reported on 6 October.¹²³

Name change approved

The party said it added “Huliakovci” to improve public recognition. Huliak, who chairs the party, said it remained active in rural areas and was putting forward proposals intended to help people. He also said the party had less money available for campaigning than other political parties.¹²

The name change was reported by all three outlets in the dossier. Hospodárske noviny and Pravda said delegates considered and voted on the renaming at the republican congress in Očová, while TASR also reported that the party had taken on the new name.¹²³

Employment and forestry proposals

Alongside the renaming, the party said it had prepared a plan to employ Roma people. The dossier does not provide details of the proposed plan, including how many people it would cover or how it would be implemented.¹²³

The party also said it wanted to reduce exports of wood harvested in Slovakia. It prepared measures under which domestic processors would receive absolute priority in purchasing wood from Lesy Slovenskej republiky, the state forestry organisation, according to Hospodárske noviny and Pravda.¹²

TASR likewise reported that the renamed party wanted exports of wood extracted in Slovakia to be kept to a minimum.³

Election presence

Strana vidieka Huliakovci said that 713 of its candidates were seeking support in regional and municipal elections. It also said that a total of 767 candidates were contesting those elections with the party's support, a larger figure that may include candidates backed by the party rather than standing directly under its name.¹²

The dossier does not identify the locations in which the candidates are standing, nor does it provide election dates or further information on the distinction between party candidates and those receiving its support.¹²