Slovak voters handed a resounding victory to the centre-right, anti-graft OLaNO opposition party in Saturday's general election, dominated by an angry backlash over the 2018 murder of a journalist probing corruption in the eurozone state.
Having vowed to immediately push through anti-corruption measures when in office, OLaNO leader Igor Matovic galvanised voter outrage over the murder of Jan Kuciak and his fiancee and the high-level graft their deaths exposed.
"We will try to create the best government Slovakia has ever had, with the help of the other leaders of the democratic opposition," Matovic told journalists as he claimed victory after the exit poll results were announced.
"It was the death of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova that woke up Slovakia."
"Congratulations to the election winner, good health, good luck," Pellegrini told Matovic, adding "he has good marketing, but we will be interested in how he will handle his office."