Slovak ministers presented priorities to the EP committees
Brussels (11 - 14 July) - In a series of hearings, priorities of the Slovak EU Council Presidency were outlined to the European Parliament committees by respective members of the Slovak government. Altogether 20 hearings took place between Monday and Thursday this week. Hearings are public and last for about 60 to 90 minutes. Depending on the committees’ agenda, one minister may appear in more committees or one committee can quiz several members of the government.
Roman Brecely, Minister of Transport, Construction and Regional Development
„Modernization of the EU telecommunication regulation is inevitable due to increasing demand for high speed services, persisting digital divide between urban and rural areas, new technological developments, as well as new players - online service providers - on the market.”
„Innovations have to be coupled with appropriate infrastructure, more support for public transport, multimodal solutions including railway transport and cycling. We need to find an effective way to motivate people to buy electric or hydrogen-powered cars or consider cycling for shorter distances, instead of taking a car. And we need to change people´s mindset. I tried to contribute myself to this goal, by taking a bike to work.“
Tomáš Drucker, Minister of Health
„Voices on medicines shortages have been raised in numerous member states by patient organisations as well as health professionals. For me, as a minister of health, this situation is critical: the primary goal of each Member State is to provide adequate level of healthcare including access to medicines to its patients.“
Robert Kaliňák, Minister of Interior
„The European Border and Coast Guard is a good example of quick cooperation between Member States, the European Commission and the Parliament. Our task is its implementation.“
Peter Kažimír, Minister of Finance
“Healthy public finances, flexible product and labour markets, high quality public services, these are all things that we need irrespective of what is happening in Europe. This is something where Brussels won’t do the job. We, national politicians, need to do this job at home. This is where we need the national solutions. At the same time, there are systemic weaknesses in the architecture of the EU and in particular in the Eurozone, which cannot be solved by fiscal and structural reforms alone.”
Miroslav Lajčák, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs
„Enlargement is the most effective instrument to promote reforms and there is no reason to weaken its transformative power.“
Marek Maďarič, Minister of Culture
„Audiovisual environment as we knew it few years ago has been altered due to the digital revolution. New players brought new business models, resulting in an ever-changing media market.“
Gabriela Matečná, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
„Our objective is to preserve healthy fish stocks and support thriving EU fisheries.To this effect, we need to balance social, environmental and economic considerations, whilst respecting the tenets of the Common Fisheries Policy.“
„The current economic crisis has revealed the limitations in the current functioning of the food chain. Slovakia makes its priority to improve fairness and transparency in the food supply chain. This includes fighting against unfair practices and finding ways to strengthen the position of farmers in the food supply chain.“
Lukáš Parízek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
„Slovakia as open and export oriented country believes in free, fair and balanced trade based on reciprocity and mutual advantages as a very important factor for future growth and jobs creation in the EU. [...] Completion of approval procedures and the preparation for the signature of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the negotiations of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the EU and the US (TTIP) will belong to the top priorities of our Presidency.
Peter Pellegrini, Deputy Prime Minister for Investments
„We believe that position of Cohesion Policy as the main EU investment policy should be maintained in the future […] Another priority for the Slovak Presidency is simplification of Cohesion Policy.“
Peter Plavčan, Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport
„Space and all related services, applications and technologies can offer solutions for many challenges today and in the future. Space has become a vital global market in the same way as automobile industry, mobile phones, internet and meteorology.“
„The main ambition of our Presidency is to support and develop talenst as they are the driving force of societal growth and innovations. Let´s see in particular how we can together improve conditions and minimise existing barriers in an effort to build an attractive ecosystem allowing young researchers in the EU to use their potential and to develop and disseminate innovative ideas.“
Ivan Sečík, State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture
Peter Žiga, Minister of Economy
“We will strive to enhance solidarity and trust. We will discuss measures to decarbonize our economies in a cost effective manner, while improving energy efficiency and competitiveness. And we will also strive to strengthen our international relationships in the field of energy.”
Lucia Žitňanská, Minister of Justice