President Peter Pellegrini delivered his first speech in office

My values are the state, the nation, the family and the human being, new Slovak president Peter Pellegrini stated in his first speech in office, adding that defining socially accepted values and a common vision is the best prerequisite for the nation to succeed in difficult times.

"In the spirit of my long-standing political conviction, I speak of a strong state that is always a help and a service to its citizens, never a burden," stressed Pellegrini, adding that the state should be able to take care of people "from the cradle to the grave". It should also be strong to step in where the market is failing and carry out correction.

In the case of the values of the nation, Pellegrini fully advocates the Slovak Constitution while the real basic cell of Slovak society is, according to him, the family.

At the same time, the President believes that the human being should be the centre of attention of the state. "We aren't born with the same abilities and the same talents. But everyone deserves the same chance and the same starting line," he maintains.

Source: TASR