President Caputova Appears in Debate at Pohoda Music Festival

Trencin, July 12 (TASR) - People's reactions to what's happening in their country represent the benchmark of the quality of society, said President Zuzana Caputova during a debate at the Pohoda music festival in Trencin on Friday. "I know that we have many problems, but I'm proud of this country," she said at the beginning of the debate, adding that her election as president was a reflection of the desire for change in society. "This isn't about me, but about a desire for change. It's a strong commitment [for me]," she said, adding that bad things happen in every country, but it's the degree of decency and calm in reaction to these events that really matters. [She was probably referring to the murders of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée last year, which resulted in mass protests and significant changes in the government. - ed. note] When asked whether she believes that she can influence anything in Slovakia as president [given that the post of president in Slovakia is largely ceremonial - ed. note], Caputova said that if she hadn't believed this, she wouldn't have run in the spring popular vote. As a lawyer, she said that she wants in particular to be a "strong voice in helping to change" the judiciary. Caputova, who was inaugurated less than a month ago, also commented on her first foreign trips, during which she met Czech President Milos Zeman, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. She described the meeting with Juncker as "very pleasant, not merely a courtesy call to get to know each other", adding that the outgoing EC president has positive attitudes towards Slovakia, especially among the Visegrad Four countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). Meanwhile, she called the meeting with Orban earlier this week one held in a "very seemly spirit". bub/df