STA, 12 October 2020 - The Social Democrats (SD) have managed to hold down the mayoral office in the blue collar town of Velenje in Sunday's byelection, which was marked by low turnout and coronavirus precautions.
As yet unofficial results show that Deputy Mayor Peter Dermol won 64.3% of the vote to succeed Bojan Kontič, a fellow party member that he has stood in for since his death in August.
Darko Koželj, the candidate of the non-parliamentary Business Active Party who ran with the support of the Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi), Modern Centre Party (SMC) and the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS), won 23.55% of the vote and Benjamin Strozak of the non-parliamentary Good State party secured 12.15%.
Dermol, who will stay in office until the next regular local elections in 2022, welcomed the result, which he said showed the SD's recognisability in Velenje. "The voters have recognised my work so far."
Dermol campaigned on the promise that he would continue to work set out by his SD successors, who had led the municipality since independence, describing their vision as a dynamic city based on solidarity, equity and high quality of life.
Velenje, Slovenia's fifth largest city and seventh largest municipality with a population of over 33,650, is the hub of Slovenia's fossil industry, being home to a lignite mine that supplies the thermal power station in nearby Šoštanj.
However, Dermol said the restructuring of the region would be an exceptional opportunity for young and innovative people.
He described the electoral campaign as unusual, accusing the challengers of focusing on him rather than on the content of their campaigns.
Meanwhile, Koželj compared the race to an all but decided football match: "Being third, fourth league players, we played against the side of Barcelona, who has much more money, and an excellent manager. We also played on their turf and with their referees."
However, in announcing his renewed bid in the 2022 election, Koželj said "this was but the first half". Having won over many supporters, "I hope we can convince the spectators in the second half that we make a good team".
Referring to the low turnout, of just over 33%, Strozak said the vote was decided by the voters who stayed at home.
Both candidates have lodged complaints over free campaign poster space granted to Dermol arguing that the municipality authorities had disqualified them by failing to publish the terms to bid for the advertising space on time.
Velenje was not the only municipality to hold a byelection yesterday. Voters in Starše, a small municipality further to the north-east, elected Stanislav Greifoner their new mayor in the run-off election with 52% of the vote.
Both Greifoner and his challenger Nataša Petek ran as independents in a vote precipitated by the death of the incumbent Bojan Kirbiš in June.``
