Slovak opposition leader pulls out of June poll

BRATISLAVA Feb 1 (Reuters) - Slovak opposition leader and ex-Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda said on Monday he will not run in a June 12 general election after socialist Prime Minister Robert Fico accused his party of money laundering.

Dzurinda's centre-right government introduced pro-business reforms between 2002-2006, including a 19-percent flat tax on income and corporate profits, which lured foreign direct investment worth billions of euros.

"The key reason for me (not to run) was a monstrous game by Robert Fico," Dzurinda told journalists.

Fico, seen as favourite to win re-election, has repeatedly accused Dzurinda's SDKU party of money laundering and using tainted funds to finance its political activities. Dzurinda denied the allegations and challenged Fico to debate them on television.

(Reporting by Martin Santa, editing by Paul Taylor)