Стр. 22 - V

Электронное приложение к журналу «Международная жизнь»
Author : Ivan Gašparovič
former President of the Slovak Republic This interview was conducted by International Affairs' com-
mentator Igor Gushchin
With regard to Slovakia, it was a decisive historical stage that required
the making of unequivocal and responsible decisions - I am referring
above all to the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. After 1990. unemploy-
ment in certain parts of the country was over 50% and the issue of Slo-
vakia's state independence came up.
There were two scenarios for resolving the problem: either the creation
of a unitary state, something with which the Slovak people did not agree;
or complete separation and division into two independent republics.
This was a serious trial for the citizens of both republics. After acquiring
sovereignty, Slovakia went through several severe crises, including inter-
national crises. I am proud to say that the Slovaks endured and success-
fully overcame the difficulties that the republic faced.
I believe that it is necessary to invigorate cooperation between special services in various countries
and to expand their capabilities, even if this violates people's rights and freedoms. I completely
support the idea of organizing thorough inspection and control procedures at airports, and the
present-day situation in the world reaffirms the need for such security measures. These are oblig-
atory measures for saving thousands of human lives. Terrorism cannot be defeated if we do not
cooperate, and this is why there must be no political divisions with regard to this issue. We should
have a common plan of eliminating organized terrorist groups that threaten the security of people
across the world.
The Slovak Republic has from day one been against the imposition of obligatory quotas regarding
the number of refugees, openly saying that this will do nothing to resolve the migration crisis in
Europe. Oftentimes nobody wants to think about the consequences of the measures that have
been taken; quotas are a good case in point. Brussels made the decision to impose a specific number
of migrants on each EU member country but it did not consider the possible consequences of
this decision.
At present, the world cannot exist without compromises, and we should constantly look for them.
Therefore, in addressing the issue of the sanctions policy against Russia, I believe it is essential to
search for a compromise and I am sure that more European countries have a different view of
sanctions against Russia today.
The present political situation in the world must not hinder the search for new points of conver-
gence and affect the good relations between Slovakia and Russia. In this context, I can say that the
Slovak Republic is interested in developing relations with Russia in various fields and in undertaking
new joint projects. Despite the fact that we differ on certain issues, we should continue our dia-
logue.
"Slovakia Should Restore Its Previous Level of Cooperation With
Russia"