A New Year Address by the President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič to the Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Slovakia
Your Excellency Apostolic Nuncio, Mr Deputy Prime Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is now the ninth time that I am about to deliver my speech to the community of diplomats in Slovakia to mark the beginning of a New Year. This year, however, has a something special to it for me. Two weeks ago, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a sovereign and independent Slovak Republic. Twenty years is an age of maturity. Today, I feel proud to observe that, despite the whims of this age, Slovakia, at the beginning of the third decade of its existence as a modern sovereign state, is a well-established and internationally respected country. This has also been possible owing to the fact that the international community accepted the Slovak Republic from the early days of its existence. Even now, twenty years later, I wish to extend my gratitude to your countries for the promptness with which they recognised and established diplomatic relationships with our country.
The debt crisis is a prevalent topic that needs to be taken into consideration when assessing the year that has just passed, as well as when predicting future development in Slovakia, the region and Europe. Slovakia is at the door of its fifth year as a Eurozone member. A strong and stable euro is vitally essential for us. We wish to remain further at the core of European integration as an active contributor to discussions of its future landscape.
The Government I appointed after the early election last year has good prospects to fulfil these ambitions. The approach it has so far taken to key issues on the European agenda is a proof to that effect. We believe to have already overcome the worst of the debt crisis. Even though the Slovak economy faced a moderate slowdown in 2012 we have remained in the group of EU Member States that enjoy highest growth rates in GDP. Forecasts indicate this should be the case in 2013, as well. Europe continues efforts to reinforce its economic and monetary union. This year is about to see these efforts translate into a gradual completion of a banking union within the Eurozone. It is becoming apparent that we will have to accustom to having “more Europe” even in those areas where it would have been difficult to imagine only a few years ago.
However, we have to take an extremely cautious approach to further reinforcement of Europe’s integration. We have to respect not only the principles of common concern and solidarity, but also those of democratic legitimacy and subsidiarity. They also form the conceptual groundwork for European nations to become “united in diversity”.
In our quest for solutions to the debt crisis, we must not ignore its social dimension. The quality of life our citizens cannot be assessed solely against the development of macroeconomic indicators. In addition to its economic and financial dimension, the current crisis has a moral one, as well. I have an impression that we are overlooking this fact. We continue living on debt. Not just the fiscal, but the moral one, too. The moral debt both towards current and future generations. The crisis gives us a rare room to introspect our past deeds and, in particular, an opportunity to learn a lesson for the future.
As careful beholders of the Slovak political life, you must have noticed that the Slovak political scene is nowadays agitated by the controversy surrounding the non-appointment of a Prosecutor-General. I discussed this issue with many of you over the past year. You know that my recent decision in this matter has only proved my consistent, long-held and unvarying position which follows the principles embodied in the Slovak Constitution and the decision delivered by the Constitutional Court. The recent political attacks against my decision are, therefore, attacks against the Constitutional Court. Also, they have been launched in an attempt to find a topic that would distract attention from the failures politicians made when electing a candidate for Prosecutor-General. It is an endeavour to find a missing political agenda that would enable a certain part of the political spectrum to define themselves publicly because they lack any meaningful political or social and economic projects of their own. My task in the current situation, as I see it, is to ease the tempers. Therefore, I have made an appeal to restore decent political communication and respect standard democratic procedures and decisions of the Constitutional Court.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Slovakia is a country at the heart of Europe. It is not just an apt motto; it is a simple geopolitical truth, above all. Excellent neighbourly relations, mutual respect and functioning regional cooperation in Central Europe have been, and remain, the key priority under our foreign policy. Peace, stability and cooperation in the Central European region have become more important than ever in these crisis-stricken times.
Throughout the past year, I endeavoured to ensure the best possible relations with our neighbours to benefit our businesses, employees, students and the general public. In a few weeks’ time, I wish to confirm this forthcoming and modern European approach towards countries in our region through my official visit to Hungary.
Throughout 2012 and beyond, Slovakia continues its notable engagement towards our southern and eastern neighbours. Stability, prosperity and European prospects of these countries remain our priority. We want to further actively assist our partners, standing at the gates of the European Union so far, in their transformation and integration efforts. We want to share our twenty years of experience from the transition process with them.
The 18th summit of Central and Eastern European presidents will have an extremely important issue on its agenda - post-crisis restoration of our region and continent. The presidential summit will be held in Bratislava from 12 to 13 June this year. I have invited twenty European presidents to the summit. The event has an ambition to generate political incentives that will encourage executive authorities of attending countries in their efforts to restore economic growth, boost competitiveness and reinforce social cohesion. We also wish to promote our positive international image through activities organised in our second largest city - Košice. Košice is the first Slovak city to have ever been selected, along with Marseille, a European Capital of Culture for 2013. This is also another good reason for tourists and entrepreneurs from your countries to visit Slovakia.
Excellencies, Dear Guests,
Slovakia’s firm establishment in the trans-Atlantic value and security system and alliance with the US are underlying prerequisites that guarantee the security of territory, infrastructure and population of our country. Slovakia desires to remain a predictable, reliable and committed ally. I also confirmed this position at the NATO summit held in Chicago last year. I am glad that the US President, as well as other prominent representatives of the Alliance and its member countries also agreed with this view during our mutual talks. Our concrete contributions to UN and NATO-led security operations - the most notable in Afghanistan - are well known to you. I would like to emphasise in this respect that we still consider the UN the key political platform for the global security. Only the UN can provide the international law basis for global actions and to hear out the voice of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, I am very much aware of the challenge of attuning effectively our commitments towards the Alliance in terms of expenditure to the harsh reality of public finance consolidation efforts. Slovakia’s general government budget approved for 2013 is the first one to create conditions to reverse the current negative trend.
Good neighbourly relations between Slovakia and its eastern neighbours, Ukraine and Russia in particular, are also important for our stable security environment. They are important energy and trade partners to us. No global security or political concept can currently get by without recognising the role of the so-called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) and VISTA countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey, Argentina). Therefore, we desire to reinforce dialogue and cooperation with these groups because they are the leading driving force of global economic growth.
An active economic diplomacy is vital for any extremely open economy, such as Slovakia. I consistently engage a sizeable group of entrepreneurs into my foreign policy activities. We have successfully organised a series of innovation forums in several advanced Asian and European economies, as well as in Slovakia, all attended by renowned experts. It is exactly the transfer of new knowledge, technology and innovation into manufacturing practice, economy, science and education that I consider a highly effective system-level instrument to assist in overcoming the consequences of the economic and debt crisis. Slovakia still has much to improve in this respect. This is one of the ways to do so.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I highly appreciate your work. I know that you also give momentum to the reinforcement of our bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Please, keep the people of Slovakia in your favour.
At the end, allow me to wish good health and a successful and peaceful year 2013 to the people of your countries and to their leaders, to you personally and to your families. I wish to raise a glass and propose a toast to the twenty years of friendships and international cooperation between your countries and the sovereign Slovak Republic.
