Slovak diplomacy should be active right from the preparation of important international documents or fundamental conclusions and not just be a subsequent consumer who leans towards one side or the other. In his words, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini agreed with the MEPs representing the Slovak Republic in the European Parliament. He informed about it after Friday’s joint meeting in the Presidential Palace.
- President Pellegrini supports active Slovak diplomacy in making international decisions.
- He appeals to ministers to define specific political priorities for diplomats.
- The President discussed cooperation between the European Commission and the Parliament with the MEPs.
- He commits to regular meetings with MEPs to strengthen national interests.
- He expressed regret over the low participation of representatives of the strongest party in the meeting.
“We agreed that our Slovak diplomacy should not just be diplomacy that waits until some majority opinion is formed and then leans towards it so that we are a good partner. But that Slovak diplomacy, also within our European representation, within Brussels, but also diplomacy as a whole should be a co-creator of individual positions of international institutions“, said the president.
According to him, the MEPs concluded that Slovak diplomacy is in many cases more static and “waiting”. The head of state therefore wants to appeal to individual ministers to instruct professionals representing the Slovak Republic in the world. “They must not be just pure professionals who somehow do their work there, but ministers and state secretaries must give them political notes and define the priorities with which these officials of ours must work more dynamically and actively than before.” remarked the head of state.
Pellegrini spoke with the MEPs about current topics and the functioning of cooperation between the European Commission and the European Parliament. “Where we talked about the fact that the prime ministers are those who are directly elected and are responsible for their country and for the management of their national affairs, and they should have more authority to dictate to the European Commission and give assignments, what the European Commission should do in the coming months. It shouldn’t be the other way around, when the European Commission often comes on its own initiative and confronts prime ministers with what individual member countries should then do“, said the president.
The head of state considers it important to negotiate with MEPs because many decisions of European organizations and bodies have a fundamental impact on Slovakia as well. The President is therefore interested in organizing meetings at this level twice a year, the next in May 2026. He thanked all participants for the open debate and appreciated that many of the MEPs are able to stand up for national interests on fundamental issues despite the values of their faction. At the same time, he pointed out that he was sorry that only one representative from among the strongest party representing the Slovak Republic in the European Parliament came to the joint meeting. “It is their legitimate decision, but I also consider it a little disrespectful to the Presidential Palace, not to my person,” stated Pellegrini.
