Today sees the official start of the campaign for the local elections set for Saturday 27 November.
Until 24 November candidates can now do everything in their power to gain the favour of the voters, including foreigners living in Slovakia. After that a 48 hour moratorium will start before the polls open.
No matter what your nationality, if you are one of the 50,000 plus foreigners (data from 2008) who have permanent residence in Slovakia, you should already have received a notification of your right to vote in the municipal elections.
Head of the Elections and Referendum section of the Ministry of Interior, Eva Skuteltyova, explains:
The law on local authorities is organised so that we elect the representatives in the municipality where we have our official residence.
Many people feel that voting is a waste of time or that their vote cannot make a difference, but there is a difference at the end of the day if those in local government are sticking all the money in their own pockets or genuinely trying to improve the conditions in your neighbourhood. Everyone should therefore make the effort, because it is the drops that make the ocean.