Premier Calls on Slovakia to Return to Its Value-based Foundations

Bratislava, 5 July (TASR) - During a speech he delivered during the celebrations of the Saints Cyril and Methodius Day at Devin Castle in Bratislava on Sunday, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has called on Slovakia to return to its value-based foundations. Fico therefore wants to include a section on values ​​in the Vision Slovakia 2040 document. He spoke in particular about the need to highlight Christian traditions, a pro-European orientation and a culture of peace. According to him, Slovakia must also fulfil the role of connecting East and West. The premier claims that the crisis in the "common European home" is caused by the collapse of the spiritual and value-based foundations of Western civilisation. "The driving force of the present is mainly confrontation and military power. We can see that European elites are building our common European home on a single card - confrontation and Russophobia. I would like to ask: do we really need confrontation in order to regain the conviction that the survival of Europe is only possible if the East and the West come together?" said the premier during his speech. According to him, the reaction to the crisis in Europe must be for Slovakia to return to its value-based foundations. "So that we don't forget where we came from, how deep our historical roots are, who we are and what we want," he stressed. According to Fico, one of the outcomes of Sunday's celebrations should be a commitment that a separate section on values ​​will be included in the Vision Slovakia 2040 document. "If we fail to stand on values, we will end up like our common European house, which is falling apart in terms of values," said Fico. The premier spoke about the need to highlight Christian traditions. He said that if we want to anchor ourselves in values, we must cope with the crisis of trust and truth. "It is impossible for hatred, confrontation, arrogance, rudeness, untruths and hoaxes to prevail. I believe that it's our duty to bring simple things back to real life - respect for education, respect for elders, the understanding that tolerance is not weakness, but above all respect for ourselves," he emphasised. The premier also mentioned Slovakia's pro-European orientation, which enables it to talk to everyone. "Slovakia is geographically and culturally set up to fulfil such a fundamental role of connecting East and West," thinks Fico. According to him, Slovakia must also maintain a culture of peace. Therefore, he declared at the celebrations that his government would not support any wars. ko