President: State Lacks Long-term Vision to Be Fulfilled by Various Governments

Bratislava, 28 May (TASR) - The Slovak Republic lacks a long-term vision that would be carried out by various governments across the political spectrum, said President Peter Pellegrini in his State of the Republic address in Parliament on Wednesday, adding that each ministry has its own plan, seeking its implementation and spending money on this during the electoral term.
        The president noted that he began a discussion on this theme at the Presidential Palace when he received representatives of regional authorities. He declared that he'll try to unite the business sector, ordinary citizens and towns and villages. He added, however, that the initiatives of the head of state can only be successful if they find understanding among both the coalition and the opposition, along with the state's executive and legislature.
        "As long as someone can see fictitious traps or threats to their political party in joint discussions with the top constitutional officials and rejects such debates as a result, they will have failed to grasp the need to seek long-term consensus in strategic questions relating to the direction of Slovakia," he stated.
        At the same time, the president thinks that a high level of interest could overcome the reservations of individuals when it comes to large state investments. He noted that in five years from now Slovakia will mark 40 years since the fall of the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia, and the country will have spent just as much time under democracy as it did under socialism. According to him, people will have the right to compare what each system has brought. He stressed that he is speaking only about infrastructure projects, and he again called for political unity when it comes to a vision for the country.
        "Today, we have enormous resources from EU funds and the recovery plan at our disposal. So, in the upcoming months and years let's use them in as effective manner as possible for the sake of our own future. This is why, ladies and gentlemen, I call on you in this place to find consensus in basic aims for the future of Slovakia. Carry them out without regard to which political party you belong to," he added.