Bratislava - Slovakia is set to hold presidential elections on March 21, with a runoff election possible on April 4, Slovakian Parliament Speaker Pavol Paska said Thursday.

The speaker is responsible for determining the exact dates of the election, within a time period that is set by law. The runoff will pit the two candidates with the most first-round votes against each other, in case no one gets an absolute majority on March 21.

The latest opinion polls give incumbent President Ivan Gasparovic such a large lead that a runoff seems unlikely.

If he wins in the first round, he would become the first-ever president to avoid a runoff in the history of a country that only became independent in 1993, as well as the first president to be re- elected. (dpa)