Mr. M. Lajčák: Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure and honour to welcome the Alternate Foreign Minister of Greece, my friend Dimitris Droutsas, to Slovakia.
Slovakia and Greece are two friendly countries, allies, members of the European Union, of the North Atlantic Treaty. We have very close views on a multitude of international issues, such as for example the Western Balkans, which is a matter of strong interest to both our countries and which we mentioned in detail. We discussed the way in which we will be able to intensify our bilateral relations and this is the second reason why I am glad Alternate Foreign Minister Droutsas carried out this visit. This has been the first visit of a Greek government official since Slovakia’s accession in the European Union and the first visit to Slovakia by a Greek Foreign Minister since 1999.
We reached the joint conclusion that the lack of problems in bilateral relations sometimes leads to the view that reciprocal visits are not necessary and that it is enough for us to meet in Brussels or within the framework of other international conferences.
But today’s discussions have precisely proven that there are indeed many issues requiring very close consultations and discussions and we agreed that more high-level visits are needed in the course of this year.
Greece is of course well known to Slovak citizens, as it is the second most popular tourist destination, and this is yet another thing that brings us closer. We also spoke about improving financial cooperation, raising Greek investments in Slovakia and the prospects for Slovakian investments in Greece.
Furthermore, we also spoke about the issue of concern across Europe at the moment: the financial crisis in Greece. I was very interested to hear the latest information by Mr. Droutsas about the measures taken by the Greek government in order to address and overcome the current crisis. I expressed the Slovakian government’s full support for the measures taken by the Greek government and my faith in the Greek government’s and the Greek financial system’s ability to overcome these temporary problems and fully regain the system’s credibility.
We also spoke in great detail about international issues, and most of all, the Western Balkans and the prospects for EU enlargement; we mainly focused on European issues. Indicatively, I could mention the establishment of an External Action Service of the European Union and I would like to say that we truly have very similar, if not identical, views on many issues, which is why I am particularly glad that we had these talks. Once again, I would like to welcome Mr. Droutsas to Bratislava.
Mr. Droutsas: First of all, thank you very much, Miroslav, for this warm welcome and these warm words of welcome.
We had the chance to review our bilateral relations. As Miroslav Lajčák said, there is no cloud in the sky in our bilateral relations, so we could focus our discussions on a number of regional and international issues, and we realise that we share a common approach on all of these issues.
And in this framework I would like to take this opportunity also to express my deep appreciation for Slovakia’s engagement in Cyprus, both your significant presence in the UN Peacekeeping Corps and the initiatives of the Slovak Embassy in Nicosia regarding the bicommunal context, which is of very high importance for the developments.
I would also like to concentrate on the issue of the developments in the Balkans. I think this was the real focus of our discussions today. And here again, we noticed that we share real common views and a common line on all these issues.
As you know, the Balkans, the region of the Balkans is of the highest priority to Greece, and we have shown this also in the past: in 2003, when Greece was holding the presidency in the European Union, with the so-called Thessaloniki Agenda, which remains today the cornerstone of the the European Union’s Balkan policy.
So the integration of all the countries of the Western Balkans into the European Union is a top priority for Greece. And in this respect the Greek government, the new Greek government has put forward a new proposal, a new initiative, which we call the “Agenda 2014”, with the aim of putting a target date for the possible integration and accession of all our neighbours in the Balkans to the European Union. This shall send a very clear message to the region, i.e., that it is worth continuing the necessary reforms in a speedy way, to fulfil the necessary criteria that must be fulfilled in order to become EU member states.
And also by using a symbolic date, 2014, saying that this is 100 years after the beginning of the First World War, which one can regard as the root of most of the open conflicts we are still facing in the Balkans.
And with this initiative, we also want to remind the member states and public opinion in EU member states that the European Union is in fact a peace project, the most successful peace project, and the European Union must take up its responsibilities also towards the region of the Balkans and promote peace and stability here. And the best way this can be done is by including these countries in our European family.
These were, I think, the most important issues we focused on in our discussions, and once again, I would like to thank you very much for your hospitality. I hope you will soon give me the opportunity to welcome you also on my part in Greece.
And as a last word, I would like also to express my thanks for these very open and important words of solidarity that Slovakia and your government is showing to Greece and the Greek government, in our efforts to address the challenges and the difficult economic situation we have found ourselves in, in Greece.
I can assure you that the Greek government is doing whatever is needed in order to address the situation in a serious way.
What we need most from our EU partners is a strong political message also to the international markets, a strong political message of confidence and credibility of Greece and the Greek government. And exactly these words you have used, Miroslav, are the most important thing we can use right now. And once again, thank you for the solidarity you have shown to us.
Journalist: Mr. Lajčák, what are your views on the “Agenda 2014” initiative and in which ways can the other member states of the region contribute to this effort?
Mr. M. Lajčák: First of all, as I stressed in our discussions, I think that the 2003 Agenda, which was approved in Thessaloniki under the Greek EU Presidency is the most reliable step of the European Union with regard to the region of the Western Balkans and is essentially ongoing today. We see the 2014 Agenda as an effort to redefine this vision, as a strategy to restore the reliability of the enlargement process, and we welcome it as such.
I cannot hide my critical view of the enlargement policy’s current state-of-play, which has lost its reliability. Compared with the latest EU enlargement wave, the current approach does not offer EU accession as a visible objective and vision. As a result, it does not offer any incentives and does not encourage countries to introduce reforms and changes. From this point of view, we see the 2014 Agenda as an effort to reshape the vision and restore the lost credibility of the enlargement process.
It is very important for these countries of the Western Balkans to see the 2014 Agenda as an incentive to intensify their reform efforts, because it is what the European Union is all about: reforms. They should realize that this is their task and that no one else will carry it out but them. They should not for a second be under the impression that we will assume the responsibility in their place. The primary responsibility lies with them. In this regard, Slovakia welcomes of course the 2014 Agenda.