The partnership between Slovakia and Germany can serve as an example of cooperation that transcends borders and strengthens European unity, President Peter Pellegrini stated at the opening of the Slovak-German Future Forum in Most pri Bratislave (Bratislava region) on Thursday.
"If we can achieve this, we will not merely talk about the future. We will create it," he underlined. The event is held under his patronage and that of Martin Schulz, former President of the European Parliament and chairperson of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
Pellegrini described the forum's key contribution as bringing together representatives of politics, industry, finance, trade unions, academia and civil society. He accentuated that this is precisely the kind of dialogue Europe currently needs — open, pragmatic and focused on solutions. In his view, Europe stands at a crossroads, and its future will depend on its ability to act quickly, collectively and responsibly. He said Europe must do more to protect its interests, support industry, invest in innovation and provide stability and opportunities for its citizens. "Europe must be stronger and more capable, not louder and more closed," he said.
Pellegrini described economic ties between Slovakia and Germany as exceptionally strong and strategically important. He noted that more than 700 German companies operate in Slovakia, employing around 141,000 people and making a significant contribution to the country's economic performance. He also pointed out that developments in the German economy have a direct impact on Slovak industry and employment.
In his address, Pellegrini highlighted the need to combine stable and renewable energy sources, arguing that Slovakia enjoys a significant advantage through its nuclear power sector. "Slovakia can be more than just an industrial country. It can also become an energy and data hub for Central Europe. Not as a slogan, but as a practical opportunity," the president said.
On artificial intelligence, he warned of the growing importance of Europe's digital sovereignty. According to the head of state, it is dangerous for digital infrastructure and access to the most advanced technologies to be overly dependent on a small number of large private platforms. He described the recent restriction of access to advanced artificial intelligence models by Anthropic as a serious warning. "Data, computing capacity and access to the most advanced digital tools are not merely a technical issue. They are a matter of security, sovereignty and Europe's ability to act independently," he added.
Source: TASR
