The Vision Slovakia 2040 document is a non-partisan one, with no political interference exerted over experts from the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) during its preparation, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) during his speech at the National Forum when presenting the document on Tuesday, calling on other political parties to endorse it.
"The vision contains four interconnected chapters. Please don't view them as separate chapters that have nothing in common. There's the first chapter called 'A Dignified Life', the second is called 'A Successful Slovakia', the third one is 'A Sustainable Country', and the fourth is 'A Modern State'. If we want to be competitive, we need well-prepared and healthy citizens. And for citizens to be well-prepared and healthy, we need good education and good health care," said the prime minister, stressing that the four parts form a single whole.
According to Fico, the quality of life of Slovaks is the key benchmark, while the vision isn't about economic parameters or figures. It seeks common ground across the political spectrum, said Fico.
I believe that the 'Vision Slovakia 2040' document will find support across the political spectrum, stated President Peter Pellegrini in his address at the National Forum, adding that he regrets, however, that more political figures didn’t attend Tuesday’s forum organised around the vision.
"Vision Slovakia 2040 isn't meant to be the subject of a cut-throat political battle. It's intended to be a civilised, constructive discussion about the future of our country, and so I believe that even though many of them aren't here today, they'll familiarise themselves with this vision, embrace it as their own, offer constructive criticism, and that, together with the rest of us, they will identify with it," said Pellegrini.
The head of state added that the approval and adoption of the document could significantly improve the quality of decision-making in the country. According to him, the vision and the emerging strategy could be two key documents for improving people's quality of life.
The opposition PS party would subscribe to many of the analyses and solutions in the Vision Slovakia 2040 document, as many are close to the movement's own programme, stated PS leader Michal Šimečka on Tuesday, adding that he believes the vision will remain just an exercise on paper, however.
MEP Ludovit Odor (PS) thinks that the vision is merely government posturing.
"When we read this — and these are indeed important and correct principles — it simply doesn't fit in with a government that's doing the exact opposite," stated Odor, asking why anyone would implement a vision that stands in sharp contrast to what they preach and do.
Šimečka also stated that Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) did something similar in 2006 during his first government when he commissioned the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) to prepare such a vision. Back then, the SAV Institute of Economic Research produced a 200-page document titled Long-Term Vision for the Development of Slovak Society.
The opposition KDH welcomes the work of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) and experts on the Slovakia 2040 Vision document, but it doesn't regard the submitted text as a completed government programme, but rather as an extremely important initial document for further dialogue with elected representatives.
KDH is ready to cooperate constructively, and its representatives attended the presentation of the vision. "The division of society is largely the responsibility of politicians themselves, and if we want to fulfil the vision's chapter on bringing society together and improving the quality of public debate, we must first change our rhetoric and approach. Otherwise, even the best vision will remain nothing more than a useless document left in a drawer," stressed KDH chair Milan Majersky.
According to Majersky, the vision correctly identifies the need to reform the state, with decentralisation being a priority. "The state, its powers and decisions must be moved as close to the people as possible. If Slovakia is to become a country where people prosper in 2040, we must start taking concrete steps today," added Majersky.
Source: TASR
