Kubis: President Should Help Overcome Disputes

Bratislava, February 8 (TASR) - The president and his office should help overcome disputes and seek starting points for joint solutions, civic candidate for the presidential post Jan Kubis told a news conference on Thursday.
        Kubis wants to run for the post with the vision of unifying the current strongly-polarised society, as a president representing all citizens, not just a single group.
        "After all, that was one of the demands from those who put their signatures under my presidential candidacy," he said. Kubis admitted that the current state of society, which is significantly polarised, vulgarised and destabilised by the current political fight, was also a reason for him to join the battle for the presidential palace.
        He views the harmonisation of different opinions, attitudes and positions in order to seek and promote strategies for the benefit of the common country as a serious challenge for the head of the state. "After 30 years of independence, during which Slovakia wrote its success story, it seems as if we have 'lost steam' and a vision of what kind of Slovakia we want to have," noted Kubis. As president, he would therefore try to be the unifier of all those who have a say in the formulation of the vision and strategy for the future of Slovakia.  "Let's stop fighting each other, let's cooperate for the benefit of a modern, prosperous and democratic Slovakia," he said.
        Kubis believes that his rich diplomatic experience, proven even in risky situations of escalating conflicts, for example, in Afghanistan or Iraq, gives him the prerequisites to achieve his vision. In the presidential office, he wants to benefit from his diplomatic contacts, as well as international reputation as a person who won't be just the country's representative abroad, but also a strategic partner in debates that influence development in the immediate region and in the world. "I will always put the interests of Slovakia first," he stressed.