Bratislava/Prague - Slovaks are voting for their new head of state on Saturday, in an election that is likely to turn into a duel between the centre-left government and the right-wing opposition.

The race is led by incumbent President Ivan Gasparovic, 67, who is supported by the very popular prime minister, Robert Fico. Gasparovic's campaign has made heavy use of the association during the race.

Fico voiced his support for the incumbent as polls opened.

Prague - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned Saturday that relations with neighbouring Hungary may further deteriorate with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's planned resignation.

Fico said that a victory by the "anti-Slovak" right-wing Fidesz party in a potential early general election raised worries in Slovakia.

Bratislava - Slovaks began voting for their new head of state on Saturday, in an election that is likely to turn into a duel between the centre-left government and the right-wing opposition.

The race is led by the incumbent, President Ivan Gasparovic, 67, who is supported by highly-popular Prime Minister Robert Fico, an association heavily employed in the campaign.

Polls showed that lawmaker Iveta Radicova, 52, the joint opposition candidate, is the only one of the six remaining contenders who stands a chance to defeat the president.

Bratislava - Twelve people were killed Saturday when a local passenger train crashed into a tourist bus in central Slovakia, police said.

The police updated its earlier reports that put the accident's toll at 13 victims after the bus wreck was removed from the tracks, police spokeswoman Maria Faltaniova said.

"The investigator on the spot confirmed that 12 victims were found (at the scene)," Faltaniova told Deusche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Bratislava - At least 13 people were killed Saturday when a local passenger train crashed into a tourist bus in central Slovakia, police said.

The collision took place at around 9 am (0800 GMT) on an "unprotected" railroad crossing by a village of Polomka, police spokeswoman Maria Faltaniova told Deusche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The bus came to a halt on the crossing as the driver was shifting gears, Sme daily reported on its web site sme. sk.

Police would not elaborate on the accident's cause, which is under investigation.

Bratislava - Despite numerous citizens' protests, a local district of the Slovak capital Bratislava has decided to erect a plaque to a communist-era leader of the former Czechoslovakia, according to a decree published Wednesday.

Under the decision taken by the Bratislava-Dubravka district, the plaque in memory of Gustav Husak to be placed at the entry to the local city hall is to be installed by May
1, at the latest.

Husak became state and party leader of Czechoslovakia in 1968 after a Soviet-led invasion which put down a reform movement which was known as the "Prague spring."