Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-09-04-Speech-2-163"
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"en.20010904.7.2-163"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, may I start by drawing your attention to the fact that the conclusions of the Wiersma report on the possible accession of Slovakia to the European Union have the full backing of the PPE group. Slovakia is an example of how, with political will, a country initially at a disadvantage, in this case a country which, under the Meciar regime, lost nearly four years compared with everyone else, can catch up with the other countries negotiating for accession and join with them in resolving problems quickly. What is most impressive is that Slovakia has successfully stabilised its economy over recent years and has started and, in many cases, completed comprehensive structural reforms, including privatising the banks.
However, the European Union also needs Slovakia to accede, lying as it does between Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, because it will be easier to guarantee an area of freedom and security in an enlarged European Union along a continuous external border. However, Slovakia will only be able to accede quickly if it is equally quick in implementing government and administrative reform. This includes making the judiciary independent, introducing effective financial controls and reforming the communes and local authorities, all within the next few weeks. This will also indirectly guarantee the involvement of national minorities, especially the Hungarians, in over 500 communities. Slovakia should therefore keep up its resolve to deal with outstanding accession problems in liaison with the Commission and the European Parliament, so as to pave the way for fast accession to the European Union."@en1
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