Pellegrini Hopes 2026 Will Be Year of Peace and Prosperity

Bratislava, 6 January (TASR) - Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has said in an interview with TASR that he hopes 2026 will be marked by peace, calm and prosperity, and that the nation won't succumb to scepticism, frustration or negativity. According to Pellegrini, Slovakia remains among the safest countries in the world and is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which brings together the world's most developed nations. Slovakia can also rely on its membership of the European Union and NATO. "I understand people's disappointment about many things not moving faster and more efficiently; I've often criticised this myself, but it shouldn't prevent us from looking at the bright side of things," said Pellegrini. He expressed his hope that the hatred in Slovak society won't intensify and that politicians will be able to find other ways to convey their messages than through negative emotions. Pellegrini also believes that both the public and businesses will be able to cope with the consolidation of public finances successfully. In terms of foreign policy, the Slovak head of state stressed that achieving peace in Ukraine should be the highest priority for this year. jrg/df