SLOVAKIA: Slovak prime minister says Slovakia is attractive for investment and could be first V4 country to adopt the euro

The Slovak prime minister says his country will be ready to adopt the euro in 2009, and that Slovakia is still an attractive place for investors. He rejects suggestions there are problems between extremists and ethnic minorities. Slovakia's prime minister Robert Fico, says he hopes the European Union will practice fair treatment when it assesses the country's bid to adopt the euro in 2009. Speaking at a rare meeting with foreign media, the leftist Fico promised to extend welfare policies, but said a prudent fiscal stance to ensure euro adoption was a bigger priority. He says there are many advantages to Slovakia adopting the euro. "The Slovak government is convinced that adopting the euro has more advantages than disadvantages. Slovakia could be the first of the Visegrad Four countries to adopt the euro, which shows that Slovakia has a stable economy and is the leading country. This should give Slovakia some kind of advantage," he said. Fico says Slovakia is still a very attractive country for investors, but it must be careful not to concentrate all its efforts on the car industry. "There is a lot of talk about big investments, but we are careful. Should we bring another car factory here? And what if there's a new car industry crisis? Do you think that French and Germans will reduce their output at home? Let's forget about this," he said. Foreign car companies such as Volkswagon and Peugeot-Citroen have set up shop in Slovakia in recent years. He is also determined that there should be more investment in the eastern part of the country, which has not, so far, seen the same benefits of recent growth in Slovakia as the West. "We will do our best including giving state help to make eastern Slovakia attractive to investors. Without investment and without improving infrastructure in eastern Slovakia we won't be able to avoid the big regional differences which exist in Slovakia today," Fico said. Slovakia has often been criticised for its treatment of ethnic minorities, such as the Roma population and the half million ethnic Hungarians living in the country. Concerns were increased when Fico invited the far-right Slovak National Party, known for harsh rhetoric against such minorities, into his coalition, but he rejects any suggestion there is a problem. "Extremist in Slovakia? Are there some problems with minorities? There are no legal proceedings against us at the constitutional court, the European court. Minorities are living here quietly and at peace as before. I don't see anything wrong. Just the opposite. Slovakia is perceived abroad according its economic results," he said. Fico is outspoken against a plan by the US to deploy a missile defence system in central Europe, calling the project an adventure. Washington is negotiating with Slovakia's neighbours, Poland and the Czech Republic, on installing interceptor missiles and a radar base on their soil as a protection against attacks by what it calls rogue states, such as Iran or North Korea. But Fico is concerned his own country will be impacted. "It is an issue that is directly concerning us, especially when the other side, Russia, is constantly speaking about aiming its nuclear weapons against those targets. And if the targets are a few kilometres away from Slovakia, either to the West, or to the North, that must be making us nervous," he said. Fico said the United States should have discussed any such project with its partners in the NATO alliance. "Put this issue on the table at NATO, and we will seriously debate it and take a stance, but we will not support these bilateral adventures," he said. The Czechs have also called for the missile defence plan to be coordinated within NATO. Another Czech neighbour, Austria, has also criticised the plans to build the radar in the Czech Republic. Its defence minister called it a "provocation" reviving Cold War debates.

ITN Source | September 7, 2007

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