“We are European Union, European Union is us”

The public discussion on European Union, the National Convention, will be held in other Slovak cities with the focus on the young audiences. At its first session in Bratislava on Thursday, President Andrej Kiska also spoke about the public discourse featuring propaganda which promotes nationalist and extremist political movements and helps them strengthen their influence on the public. In his speech, the president once again drew attention to the joint declaration on the country's foreign policy, signed by top Slovak constitutional officials last October, in which they agreed to continue pro-European and pro-NATO policies. Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed that Slovakia belongs in the EU and in its core. "If we are talking about fighting for Slovakia, it means fighting for Europe at the same time. It cannot be separated now. We are the EU and the EU is us," said Fico. The EC vice-president Maroš Šefčovič views Slovakia's goal to be at the EU's core as strategic. He admitted that the EU has been through a period of crisis, but it's been gradually getting over it. The European Union is a good project, but it must return to its basics, with it being a service to the people and not to European institutions, said Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko. Foreign Ministry State Secretary Ivan Korčok stressed that despite its imperfections, the EU is a good solution for Slovakia. "We are a small country, and sometimes I think that we're lamenting over the EU more than some larger countries that are giving it much more of their sovereignty," stated Korčok. The next discussions on the future of the EU will be held in Žilina on March 8.