Prime Minister on Slovak priorities of new EU agenda

European Union leaders unanimously passed a joint declaration with ten commitments to help build a stronger and more attractive EU, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini said after the informal EU summit in Sibiu in Romania on Thursday. As he informed, the most important signal is that the EU will continue with its effort to maintain unity in seeking joint solutions. Also discussed were the priorities of the new EU 2019-24 strategic agenda. They are divided into four areas: the protection of citizens and their freedoms, the development of an economic base and the European model for the future, the building of an ecologically sustainable, fairer and more inclusive future as well as support for economic interests and values in the world. Slovak priorities lie mostly in the support for a common market and industrial policy, greater social justice in Europe, technological modernisation and digitisation, internal security, protection from illegal migration, Schengen, foreign policy and defence. "In Slovakia we always emphasise fairness, equality and socio-economic convergence as overlapping principles guiding the activities of the EU." Regarding climate change, Pellegrini said that Slovakia, on one hand, supports the implementation of the Paris agreement while, on the other hand, it is necessary to consider counterbalancing climate-related measures with support for industry, in the form of extensive investments into the most affected industrial sectors and regions. In the Slovak context, this concerns the automobile industry and coal regions. "Another important long-term aspect of our activities must be the fight against disinformation, hybrid war and anti-European propaganda," added Pellegrini.