  The first-order phase transition in the three-state Potts model with
long-range interactions decaying as $1/r^{1+\sigma}$ has been examined by
numerical simulations using recently proposed Luijten-Bl\"ote algorithm. By
applying scaling arguments to the interface free energy, the Binder's
fourth-order cumulant, and the specific heat maximum, the change in the
character of the transition through variation of parameter $\sigma$ was
studied.
