Slovaks began voting Saturday in a referendum on whether to hold early legislative elections as demanded by the opposition.
The referendum started at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) at 4,932 polling stations around the country and was due to end at 10:00 pm (2100 GMT).
The results are expected to be announced late Sunday, the organizers said, but the referendum will only be valid if more than 50 percent of the country's four million voters take part.
Analysts in Bratislava said it was unlikely that turnout would be high enough.
The polling stations were guarded by about 5,600 police and 345 observers including human rights activists and members of a youth movement close to the opposition.
In September, Slovak President Rudolf Schuster decided to allow the ballot after the opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, the party of former prime minister Vladimir Meciar, mounted a petition signed by more than 600,000 people.
Slovakia's next scheduled elections are due in 2002 -- BRATISLAVA, Nov 11 (AFP)
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