House Chair Rasi to Attend EU Parliament Heads' Conference in Copenhagen

Bratislava, 3 May (TASR) - House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice–SD) will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sunday afternoon to attend the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments (EUSC). This year's programme will focus on strategic questions concerning the future of Europe. Discussions will address security and the democratic resilience of institutions in an era of rapid technological change. The Parliament's Office also noted that several bilateral meetings are scheduled on the sidelines as well. "The conference in Copenhagen is not merely a protocol event, but a strategic platform where Slovakia must actively shape the debate on the future of the Union. We face an important discussion on Europe's future that must not be reduced to a purely technical debate," Rasi said. The House chair views participation in the summit as an opportunity to promote Slovakia's national interests directly in shaping Europe's future and stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, which, in times of geopolitical uncertainty, must act as a stable anchor of democratic legitimacy. "In a time of hybrid threats, it is essential that national parliaments act as guarantors of citizens' trust," Rasi added. Within discussions on EU enlargement, he will present Slovakia's position, which sees the process as a strategic investment in peace and prosperity across Europe. According to him, Slovakia actively supports the integration ambitions of candidate countries in the Western Balkans and Moldova, declaring readiness to back partners' reform efforts based on "fairness and clear merit." Regarding efforts to improve decision-making in an enlarged Union, the House chair will defend maintaining the principle of unanimity in key areas such as foreign policy and taxation. He said Slovakia views the veto right as an essential safeguard of equality among member states. "The veto is not a privilege, but a guarantee of balance. It prevents the voices of smaller states from being weakened in crucial decisions," Rasi said. mf