Slovaquie

Veronika Lombardini vient de Bratislava où elle est née en 1958. C'est à l'Université technique de la capitale de la République Slovaque qu'elle a effectué ses études en technologie de l'information, études qu'elle a poursuivies à Washington.

Après avoir exercé différentes activités, elle entre, en 1995, dans le cabinet du Président de la République Slovaque, plus précisément au Département des Affaires étrangères où elle reste pendant trois ans. A partir de 1998, elle occupe, au Ministère des Affaires étrangères, le poste de Directeur du Département des Relations politiques avec l'Union Européenne.

Veronika Lombardini est par ailleurs membre de l'Association slovaque de politique étrangère et fait partie du Comité du Centre de Politique Européenne.

Mandatée par son Ministère, elle présente les perspectives et les défis de la Slovaquie en matière d'intégration européenne.

It is an honour for me and also a pleasure to be with you today here in this beautiful Gstaad and to have the opportunity to exchange some views and ideas on the perspective of the European integration. By the way, it may be a coincidence, but it is the second time I am here in Switzerland this summer speaking about the European integration. So, maybe Switzerland is on a very far way to the integrated Europe. But it is only by the way.

If we are speaking about integration, let me say at the beginning some words about the so-called specific Slovak way into the integrated Europe. As a relatively new State - we are existing only for seven years - Slovakia did not always manage to express its interest and its responsibility within Europe and also its belonging to the European family of democratic countries. But there is no doubt that Slovakia is - and always was - a part of Western European civilisation. We can take an example in the very East of the country, in the second largest city Košice. There is a gothic cathedral, which is the biggest one in Central Europe. I can give you some more examples of this.

Once again, Slovakia is an independent country for seven years. It reminds me of the seven poor and seven rich years in Egypt from the Pharaoh's dream and if we take it for Slovakia example, in its first seven years, Slovakia did not find always the right way, but the recent development gives a good foundation and further dynamics in the integration process of our country.

Let me continue with some remarks : in the 1998's September elections, the citizens of the Slovak Republic clearly demonstrated their vision of the future of Slovakia as a democratic, prosperous and socially just society within the EU. EU membership of Slovakia is our priority and it is reflected in the Government's policy statement. Because the preparation for Union membership is a complex process, we have formulated a set of tasks in the political, economic, institutional and legislative areas. We realised that their fulfilment would not be simple, but I am convinced that the current governmental coalition has the necessary resolve and determination and also the ability to successfully carry them out. A positive momentum in this respect is that it enjoys the confidence and a support of its partners from EU member States and also its institutions.

First, let me briefly touch the political field. The full integration into the European Union is a primary objective, as I already said, of Slovak Republic. We are well aware that the preparation for Union membership is a comprehensive process, including political, economic, legislative and institutional measures and it is directed at the creation of an environment fully compatible with the structures and relations within the Union. The political dialogue between Slovakia and the EU gained after the autumn 1998 general elections in Slovakia a new quality. The atmosphere and intensity of mutual contacts has substantially changed. Also the relations with practically all EU member States have become more intensive in all terms, politically and economically. These signals, which have come both from the internal scene and international one, demonstrate that our endeavours to change our society to a truly democratic one are not that useless.

The measures we have taken to meet the political criteria have contributed to substantially strengthening of the functioning of democratic institutions in the country, to securing the rights of opposition, together with its adequate representation in the parliamentary bodies and the respect for the rights of minorities. In this respect, let me mention that the long time expected law on use of minorities' languages was adopted beginning of this summer and is already in power.

In addition to the political criteria, we attach a special significance to other Copenhagen criteria : economic criteria, ability to take on obligations of membership, administrative potential for the adoption of the acquis and the resulting priorities of accession partnership. At the beginning of 1999, the Government of the Slovak Republic identified priority problems in the economic and legislative area, as well as in the institution building and staff training of public administration for membership of the Union. A document, a project of implementation of the package of economic measures, defines particular legislative norms and regulations and sets the time frame for the implementations.

To further stabilise the macro-economic situation, the Government approved in May 1999 a series of macroadjustment measures in a document called "The Strategy for Acceleration of the Economic Reforms" (Program for Recovery). The main objective of this program (macroeconomic adjustments) is achieved through a mixture of increased revenues and decreased expenditures, primarily in the area of public administration and social spending. The programme also reiterates the Government's objective in macroeconomic stabilisation, mainly through privatisation and restructuring of banks and restructuring of enterprises, and elimination of corruption and clientelism.

Substantially, all of the measures included in the programme for recovery have been implemented in two stages, in June and July this year. As a result of this programme, the macroeconomic situation has significantly improved, including the stabilisation of the currency development. In our view, one of the key tasks is to resume the functioning of capital markets. The Government will consistently oversee the transparency of privatisation process and equal treatment of domestic and foreign investors in order to deal with the problem of undercapitalisation of privatised businesses. During the next two years, we want to further stabilise the economy and to subsequently restore its growth dynamics.

We are aware of certain temporary difficulties that most citizens of the Slovak Republic will experience as a result of the approved economic political measures. This is why we are gradually taking a number of steps designed to assist the lowest income groups of the population. In order to preserve social peace and stability in the society, we are conducting consultation on sensitive issues with trade union representatives and employers.

These days, we are expecting the presentation of the European Commission 1999 Regular Report on progress achieved in the Slovak Republic since last year. In this respect, the Slovak Republic is undertaking an intensive communication with the EU institutions. I would like to mention a special institution established between the European Commission and the Slovak Republic after the last year's elections : it is the so-called "High Level Working Group", which was established to identify some problems and to help to solve these problems in our accession process. We view very positively the functioning of this working group and we can say today that they have contributed to remove the deficiencies in the political, economic and institution areas, which have prevented the opening of accession of the Slovak Republic into EU. This decision was taken in 1997.

Next week, on the 8^th of September, the last meeting of the High Level Working Group will take place in Bratislava. In general, we can draw a positive evaluation of the marked progress attained by the Slovak Republic in the fulfilment of the political part of the Copenhagen criteria and implementation of measures leading to the fulfilment of the tasks in other areas. We expect this progress to be reflected also in the final report, as I have mentioned, the regular report, which will be presented next month.

I would like to briefly touch one special aspect of the integration process, it is the co-operation in the Central European region. The Government of the Slovak Republic is taking concrete steps to intensify contacts and to strengthen partnerships not only with EU member States but also with its neighbouring countries and associated countries, as Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland. It includes also the revival of the so-called Visegrad four (V-4) co-operation. The contacts are conducted on different levels : in May, there was a meeting of Prime Ministers and subsequently, other government members met, State Secretaries, Ambassadors, V-4 Co-ordinators. Today, we can say that this V-4 co-operation is quite wideful and has extended its work.

An early move of the Slovak Republic to the first group of associated countries will have, among other things, a positive impact on strengthening at good neighbourly relations and overall stability in the Central European region. In our view, the difference is in the level of economic, legislative, administrative capabilities and the political field. In the V-4 countries, the differences are minimal and also the state of the preparedness of Central European associated countries is in our view comparable. That is why our strategic goal is to enter the EU together with the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary.

By way of conclusion, let me express my conviction that also previous Government literally wasted the best moment for opening negotiations on membership of the EU. In course of this year we tried to create all the necessary conditions to enable the Helsinki summit to decide next December to invite the Slovak Republic to negotiating on accession to the EU.