BRATISLAVA, June 30, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda (SDKU-DS) evaluated his first year in office at a news conference in Bratislava on Thursday. In his view, after one year of the government led by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova, Slovakia is more self-confident and trustworthy, and has a better international reputation. He told journalists on Thursday that the department renewed trustworthiness and respect of Slovakia by its responsible attitudes. „Our co-citizens can feel more self-confident in the world now,” he stated. The minister underscored that due to its principled positions Slovakia has earned recognition worldwide and has contributed to a safer world.
He believes that this situation is the best precondition to achieve better results in the area of investments, support of export, and tourism to come. He underscored that the ministry is boosting the economic aspect of diplomacy. As an EU member, Slovakia pushed for a serious discussion about policies that help countries or ones that lead to a default. “We have supported principled solutions to problems. We succeeded to push through a lower contribution to the European bailout fund, which is advantageous for the citizens of the Slovak Republic,” Dzurinda said, adding that it not only means lower debt and lower burden for the people who work, but also a stable currency.
Dzurinda believes that the Visegrad Group is now stronger than ever before. “This is after a year when Slovakia presided over the V4,” he. Dzurinda also said that Slovakia had its share at the success which is an invitation to Croatia to join the EU. He thinks it will be easier for Slovak citizens to travel to Croatia and in addition to tourism, trade will thrive as well. “We will feel safer there,” he underlined. The minister also emphasized Slovakia’s position toward Belarus, which was very principled in the past twelve months. Slovakia also offered help to university students in that country sacked from their schools by President Lukashenko’s regime. “They will study in Slovakia,” announced Dzurinda. Imprisoned dissidents will also come here one day. The minister also reminded of Slovak activities in southern Sudan, where a new state is to be established in July. This mostly concerns NGOs building schools and Slovak volunteers working in hospitals.
SITA