Covid-hit Slovenia Cools On Famous Daughter Melania

Sevnica, Slovenia, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Oct, 2020 ) :In contrast to the enthusiasm evident four years ago in Melania Trump's homeland Slovenia as she ascended to the status of US First Lady, now even her hometown has cooled on the country's most famous daughter.

In 2016 Slovenia's media followed the US presidential campaign with bated breath, but now the coronavirus pandemic is dominating headlines and crowding out coverage of whether Melania will stay in the White House alongside her husband President Donald Trump after Tuesday's US election.

Most Slovenian media have portrayed Trump's bid for re-election as an uphill struggle and many speak of disappointment at the low-key role Melania has played.

A rare voice of enthusiasm for Trump has been centre-right Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who tweeted his support earlier this month -- but even he forgot to mention the family ties to Slovenia.

Jansa said Trump's Democratic opponent Joe Biden "would be one of the weakest presidents in history," adding: "a free world desperately needs STRONG US as never before. Go, win, Donald Trump!" Jansa thus joined his political ally, nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in openly backing Trump for a second term.

But unlike Jansa, many politicians in Slovenia have backed Biden or diplomatically avoided taking sides.

Even Srecko Ocvirk, mayor of Melania's hometown Sevnica, can't bring himself to utter an endorsement.

"As a Slovenian citizen I elect our country's president, therefore I can't comment on the US elections," Ocvirk told AFP.