Rasi: Benefits of Regional Cooperation within S3 Must Be Felt by Public

Wachau, 18 September (TASR) - The benefits of regional cooperation within the Austerlitz Format (S3: Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia) must, first and foremost, be felt by the public, Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated at the meeting of the heads of parliament of the S3 countries in the Austrian town of Wachau on Friday, TASR was told by the Parliament's communications department. Rasi, together with President of Austria's National Council Walter Rosenkranz and Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura, discussed illegal migration, the enlargement of the European Union, digitisation and the involvement of young people in public life. According to the Slovak House chair, the Austerlitz format brings together three countries with a combined population of approximately 25 million, which gives them greater clout in advancing their interests than they would have acting individually. "Our discussions have shown that, although we sometimes use different words, we hold very similar positions on key issues. Our aim is therefore to seek common solutions that our countries, and above all their inhabitants, need," he said. A key topic of the meeting was illegal migration and the protection of the European Union's external and internal borders. Rasi praised the Slovak-Austrian cooperation between the Interior Ministries, which, by the end of 2025, had shifted the focus of checks to the border zone and doubled the number of joint patrols, thereby mitigating the negative consequences for ordinary citizens. According to him, Slovakia's aim remains a return to the full functioning of the Schengen arrangements as soon as the security situation allows. On the issue of EU enlargement, the head of the Slovak Parliament expressed his support for the countries of the Western Balkans (Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia) and warned against an excessively lengthy accession process, which undermines the pro-European sentiment among the population. Regarding Ukraine's aspirations, he reiterated that membership must be the result of meeting the established criteria, without shortcuts or exceptions. The House chairs also discussed digital transformation and the safe use of artificial intelligence, with the administrative bodies of the Slovak, Czech and Austrian Parliaments developing a practical exchange of experience on the protection of sensitive data and cyber security. am