A divided Slovakia still deserves hope, president says in national address

Mr Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Mr Prime Minister, honourable members of the government, honourable members of parliament, fellow citizens,

Today, for the first time as head of state, I address you here in the National Council of the Slovak Republic (parliament). But my words are not intended solely for you – parliamentarians and members of the government – but for all citizens of Slovakia, whom I represent as a directly elected president.

I will speak above all about what I believe is key to Slovakia’s successful future. And although our society is more politically divided today than at any other time in our history, every person in Slovakia deserves hope for a better tomorrow.

That is why I will not focus on the past or offer a detailed assessment of each ministerial department. I will not take on the role of commentator, repeating clichés we hear in almost every political debate. Coalition and opposition politicians are quite capable of fighting their own battles. Slovak media, in turn, have plenty of space to interpret them.

I was elected president over a year ago with the second-strongest mandate in the history of the Slovak Republic. My primary duty is therefore to represent the interests of the people – not those of politicians or political parties.

That commitment remains unchanged. During my tenure, the Presidential Palace will not become another coalition partner, nor will it be a stronghold of opposition resistance. Rather, it will be a space dedicated to helping shape Slovakia’s long-term vision – a space open to experts from across the political spectrum who are willing to seek common ground for our future prosperity.

Instead of reviewing or commenting on past events, I will try to identify several fundamental issues within our state and society – issues I consider crucial and worthy of your attention.

I speak as someone who has had significant experience in governing this country from key constitutional positions. But I also speak as someone who listens – carefully and often – to the voices of people across all regions of Slovakia.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Upon taking office, I pledged that during my term I would visit each district in Slovakia at least twice and meet as many people as possible. I made that promise because it is how I have conducted my entire political career. It remains my most important source of understanding people’s real problems, emotions and expectations of their political leaders.

I always bear in mind that everyone perceives reality through the lens of their own experience. Yet I must tell you that today, the dominant feelings among our people are uncertainty, disappointment, frustration, anger, fear – and, all too often, despair.

Uncertainty is, sadly, a natural reaction to the times we live in – a period of rapid political and technological change, and a world order in decline. But disappointment and frustration are frequently the result of how certain politicians – whether in government or opposition – approach their responsibility to address these changes.

Too often, they fail to tackle people’s actual problems. Instead, they focus on symbolic or peripheral issues – the kind that inflame emotion rather than provide solutions. These themes inject anger, intolerance and even outright hatred into our political life. And from there, it is no surprise that fear and despair follow.

Yes – many people feel a deep anxiety when they look to the future, because their present difficulties often go unanswered. They struggle with rising living costs and soaring prices, yet they do not always see a corresponding increase in income. Citizens are genuinely concerned about the consequences of the war in Ukraine – not only for their own safety, but also for Slovakia’s economy.

People also demand better, more accessible healthcare. They are troubled by the state’s financial management, the need for consolidation, and the longer-term outlook for our economy. And, of course, they are troubled by the current political situation itself – which often fails to address their real concerns and, worse still, offers little hope of meaningful change in the near future.

Covid-19 response

Ladies and gentlemen,

We must acknowledge, objectively and fairly, that the current government assumed office in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Many of the problems I have just described were already present – or were becoming a reality.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on society. For many people, the state failed to act as a calm, competent authority guiding the country through the crisis. Quite the opposite – chaotic decisions by the previous government added to the confusion, and ultimately led to unnecessary human and economic losses.

This is precisely why it is so important that the government now, after five years, finally provides a clear and honest assessment of how the pandemic was managed.

It must explain which measures were effective and genuinely saved lives. Which rules were unnecessary and merely disrupted daily life without contributing to the fight against the virus. And which actions were outright harmful – decisions that may have endangered public health.

This clarity is essential, not to assign blame, but to learn. So that we can avoid repeating the same mistakes in future crises.

Without such an analysis, the government risks replacing responsible evaluation with a dangerous experiment – namely, offering blanket compensation to anyone who broke the rules at the time. Even those who, for example, refused to wear a mask in hospitals or care homes, and may have exposed others to a deadly virus.

Honourable members of parliament,

I urge you to read carefully the justification for my veto of the law on Covid amnesties, which I returned to you for reconsideration. You passed it at the very moment a new viral threat emerged – foot-and-mouth disease. Though this disease does not affect humans, it poses a serious danger to livestock and our agriculture.

To mitigate its impact, the state had to introduce a new set of measures and restrictions, affecting both individuals and businesses. Citizens and entrepreneurs were expected to follow the rules – and the government made clear that breaches would carry consequences.

In that context, it is deeply problematic for the state to now send the message that in other crises, such rules do not matter – and that it is willing to compensate violators, regardless of the severity or consequences of their actions.

Please make your final decision with a clear conscience. Consider whether you could look into the eyes of the families of the thousands who lost their lives to the pandemic. Whether you could confidently shake hands with the doctors, nurses, paramedics, and all those who risked – and sometimes gave – their lives in the fight against the virus.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I wish you wisdom and courage in your decision-making. May your choices be grounded in facts and science, and may they serve the long-term interests of Slovakia – not the short-term interests of party politics.

War in Ukraine

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me now address other external events that have significantly affected our country in recent years.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shattered decades of confidence in a peaceful future for our continent. The resulting energy and economic crises have only worsened the risk of poverty for vulnerable groups in Slovakia.

We must also speak frankly about the political situation between 2020 and 2023. Those years were marked by serious instability, compounded by allegations that criminal law was misused to target political opponents.

Over the past year and a half, the current government has tried to confront various elements of this negative legacy. One of its main priorities has been to stabilise public finances – which it inherited in the worst condition in the history of our independent state.

And I say this not only as president, but also as a former prime minister. In 2020, I handed over a country with a deficit of 1.3 percent and public debt at 48 percent of GDP.

I recognise the government’s efforts to restore fiscal health without disproportionately burdening the most vulnerable. The position of pensioners, minimum-wage workers, and those working nights, weekends or holidays has gradually improved. The average wage is rising.

We have the lowest unemployment in our history, and the state is beginning to focus more actively on other groups that also need support.

The government also honoured its pledge to help people with energy costs – which has helped curb inflation. Though prices continue to rise and remain a serious concern for many, it must be said that inflation today is significantly lower than in previous years. Still, people rightly expect the government to continue addressing this issue with urgency.

But we must not focus only on the negatives.

I welcome the visible increase in construction activity on our roads. I see new hospitals being built and old ones renovated. I see meaningful changes across all levels of education. I see preparations underway for new nuclear reactors that could provide Slovakia with clean energy.

It is therefore fair to say that, alongside pursuing its political programme, the government has also begun tackling many long-standing problems it inherited after the elections.

Some of these it handles more effectively than others. Some ministers are respected and capable leaders in their fields, while others are a source of controversy rather than expertise.

But there is one area where I believe the government has largely fallen short – and I would like to speak about it now in more detail.

The problem of “rezortizmus”

Ladies and gentlemen,

I want to highlight one of Slovakia’s fundamental problems – one that prevents us from catching up with the most successful countries and deprives our national efforts of long-term meaning.

Every government sets out its goals from election to election and pursues them with varying degrees of success. But what we lack, above all, is a lasting vision and a shared perspective for the country. A vision that does not change with every new government, but is respected across the political spectrum, regardless of ideology or party affiliation.

If we continue governing with the mindset of a single electoral term, we will get nowhere.

Slovakia already has no shortage of concepts, visions and strategies – more than 150 strategic documents, in fact. But they are not interconnected. Every month, a new one is added. Many of them lack measurable or trackable criteria. As a result, the public cannot see which goals have actually been achieved – and often, neither can those who are in charge.

Each ministry spends huge sums preparing its own strategies, only to spend the next four years working in isolation. This siloed approach – a phenomenon I have spoken about openly and repeatedly – is called rezortizmus. Unless we break free of it, Slovakia cannot move forward.

Examples of genuine cooperation across ministries remain extremely rare. Every department tends to protect its own turf and often views other parts of the state as adversaries rather than partners.

Furthermore, we lack any overarching national vision – one that all actors would be bound to, respect, take ownership of, and work towards together, regardless of election results.

And yet the state does have institutions that have long warned of this very problem.

Let me quote a few of the starkest conclusions from the latest annual report of the Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic, which lays out the situation without hesitation:

“The state operates without a clear purpose and is in long-term decline. Its management lacks sustainability and is characterised by inconsistency, which creates space for lobbying interests to prevail at the expense of the public good.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is high time we reflect on this sobering diagnosis – delivered not by critics from abroad, but by our own supreme audit authority. And we must come up with long-term, sustainable solutions to change this dangerous trajectory.

Building consensus across political lines

In my inaugural address, I promised that the Presidential Palace would serve as a space for dialogue about Slovakia’s long-term vision. A place where even political rivals and genuine experts could sit at the same table – not to argue over the next four years, but to plan for the decades ahead.

I have begun to fulfil that promise.

I have welcomed representatives of all relevant associations of Slovak towns, cities and regions to the Palace to begin discussions about a fundamental reform of local government.

In the coming weeks, the Palace will host a major discussion on how to harness modern technological innovations for the benefit of public administration and every aspect of life – for the state, the economy and the citizen. We do not need to be global leaders in tech development. But we can be world leaders in adopting and applying the most advanced technologies.

At the same time, I will work to bring together the state, local government, the business sector and civic representatives – so that, together, we can find long-term solutions to the challenges ahead.

But allow me a brief aside.

All presidential initiatives of this kind will succeed only if they find at least a basic level of support among those holding executive and legislative power – both government and opposition.

If someone sees in these joint discussions with the head of state a threat to their party, or imagines hidden traps, and rejects dialogue on that basis, then they have completely misunderstood the need for long-term consensus on Slovakia’s strategic direction.

I must also acknowledge the positive steps already taken in terms of strategic decisions. It is welcome that the government has committed to building two new nuclear power units. It is good to see construction accelerating, with new motorway sections and refurbished railway lines soon to be handed over. It is good that new hospitals are being built and existing ones are being modernised. And it is good that a final decision has at last been made on the new hospital in Bratislava.

Likewise, it is encouraging that the construction of rental housing is gaining momentum – a real solution to the housing needs of young families. And I welcome the new law on strategic investments, which streamlines the process of building projects in the public interest.

However, I also want to urge and encourage the government not to be afraid to go further.

If Slovakia needs another hydropower plant to produce clean energy, then the government must be ready to build it – even if the project is briefly targeted by media outrage or social media “hate”.

There will always – always – be someone who objects to new development. Someone will always have a garden or weekend cottage near the planned site. But that must not stop the state from pursuing the greater good and the wider benefit to society.

Of course, in line with the Constitution and our laws, the state must respect the legitimate claims of every citizen. It must communicate openly and honestly about the full consequences of any given project.

But it must also keep the national interest firmly in mind – the interests of the entire country, not just those of a few individuals. If our predecessors had been paralysed by such anxieties, Slovakia would never have built the Gabčíkovo Dam, the reservoirs at Liptovská Mara, Orava or Starina. We would never have had nuclear power stations, railways or the major factories that today employ thousands.

Slovakia’s post-1989 progress

Ladies and gentlemen,

In my New Year’s address, I noted that in just five years, we will mark the 40th anniversary of the fall of the communist regime. That will mean Slovakia will have lived just as long in democracy as it did under communism.

Like it or not, people will compare what each system managed to achieve.

To be absolutely clear – I am not defending the suppression of personal freedoms, human rights or the lack of democracy under the previous regime. I am speaking, metaphorically, about the hardware of the state – about infrastructure, factories, and power stations.

Older generations remember that after the war, Slovakia was a devastated country. And yet, in forty years, many things were built – entirely new towns, housing estates, dams, bridges and railway lines.

Let us bear this in mind: we must not lose the “nostalgia battle” with the past.

Because older people – understandably – will ask why life in a democracy has failed to deliver the kind of grand-scale projects that they once built with their own hands. Yes, in much greater poverty, but also with speed and ambition.

Today, we have access to extraordinary resources – from EU structural funds and the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Let us use them, in the months and years ahead, as effectively as possible to shape our future.

That is why, from this very place, I appeal to you, ladies and gentlemen: find consensus on Slovakia’s fundamental goals, and work towards them regardless of party affiliation. Let us first agree on the key national objectives – goals that all of us will respect, adhere to and strive to achieve.

And let us leave it to each government to decide how best to reach them.

But once again – do not change these agreed goals after every parliamentary election. Doing so would be a costly and wasteful mistake.

It could be surprisingly simple. Let us say, for example, that by 2035, Slovakia will be a country of educated people – a country that embraces innovation and supports modern technologies.

Let us agree that Slovakia will withstand growing drought, and will have an ample supply of clean drinking water – a strategic advantage for our country.

That it will produce enough healthy, affordable food for its own people.

That we will have excellent transport infrastructure, and every municipality will have access to clean water and proper sanitation.

That Slovakia will generate sufficient clean, stable and low-cost energy – for its citizens and for its industry.

Let us commit to ensuring that Slovakia has a high-quality environment – one that balances reasonable nature protection with responsible land and resource use.

Seek inspiration from citizens in the regions

Ladies and gentlemen,

If you need inspiration, step outside this chamber and visit the people in our regions. Ask them what they need for a better life.

You will hear that they want decent work for decent pay. That they need stable and affordable energy, accessible and high-quality healthcare, and modern education for their children. You will hear that people expect genuine help from the state when they fall into hardship. That they want dignified care in old age, and above all, a sense of safety for themselves, their families and their children.

And when you return to this chamber, dedicate as much of your energy as possible to these very issues.

Prove that you are capable of thinking beyond short-term political gain – which is all too often achieved by stirring up emotions, distracting the public, and focusing on topics that are irrelevant to Slovakia’s long-term success.

Give your plans long-term vision – and then pursue them together. Do not discard good ideas simply because they were drafted by your predecessors. Build on what was positive, and that applies across the entire political spectrum.

I assure you, if you do this, you will earn the respect of the Slovak public – respect that our people truly deserve after all they have endured.

Ladies and gentlemen,

If you manage to apply even a portion of this approach, you will achieve something important in another area that troubles Slovakia greatly.

Because if you focus your attention on solving people’s real problems, and on creating and fulfilling a long-term national vision, then the result will also be a calmer, more united society.

Right now, our national atmosphere has reached a dangerous level – one that threatens our ability to live together peacefully.

I had sincerely hoped – and I was not alone – that last year’s unprecedented attack on the prime minister would shake our political class to its core and lead to serious reflection on the consequences of political conduct.

Yet after a year, I must sadly say that this has not happened. In fact, the situation in our society has deteriorated further – and has grown even more dangerous.

Political polarisation and the need for reconciliation in Slovak society

Ladies and gentlemen,

I was one of the first to stand at the prime minister’s hospital bedside in Banská Bystrica the day after that despicable attack – following the life-saving operations he had undergone. It is therefore deeply troubling to me that, today, a third of people in Slovakia question whether the attack even took place. Tragically, it is predominantly opposition voters who hold these doubts.

It is frightening to see how hardened and cruel the political atmosphere in Slovakia has become.

On the one hand, politicians across the spectrum speak of reconciliation and civility. Yet, from this very podium, we have also heard the coarsest insults and personal attacks – words unworthy even of a pub in the lowest category.

It saddens me greatly that those who spread hate fail to grasp the real impact of their actions.

Let me remind them: today, politics is the biggest source of division within Slovak families. I return once more to what I said in my inaugural speech, and I stand by every word: politics must not divide families around the dinner table. It must not sever lifelong friendships or turn colleagues against one another.

It must not fuel destructive emotions simmering within society.

We must not insult others for their political beliefs – no matter what they are. Nor should we question the voters’ choices simply because they do not align with our own preferences.

I am truly sorry that my sincere wish for a more civil public discourse seems even more distant now than it was a year ago.

That is why I now speak directly to those who face this brand of hateful politics at nearly every press conference and in nearly every television debate.

Fellow citizens,

Slovakia urgently needs reconciliation. Our society must calm the destructive passions that threaten it.

But let us be honest – this peace will not come from politicians. If we wait for decency to descend from above, we will wait in vain.

There is only one real solution: a personal decision by every single individual – to resist hatred, or to let it eat away at their own conscience.

Let us be grateful for every person who chooses to bring peace to our society through their behaviour, words, values and convictions. They are doing an enormous service to their children, their parents, and to all those they love.

A life lived in peace cannot be compared with one consumed by hatred and malice.

I firmly believe that Slovakia has not given up on goodness and love. There are still countless people among us who believe that doing good is life’s highest calling and purpose.

Dignity and equality for all

Ladies and gentlemen, members of parliament,

It has been a month since the world lost a great man – a figure of immense moral authority, Pope Francis.

I will be forever grateful that I had the chance to meet this modest, compassionate and remarkably kind man not once, but twice, for long and meaningful conversations.

Allow me, therefore, to recall his final message to the Slovak nation – a message I consider deeply relevant today:

“Never look down on others – unless you are helping them up.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let us not look down on anyone – not because they are different, not because they come from another background, not because of their race, faith, sexual orientation, or social class.

And most certainly not because of their political beliefs. That is the foundation of political division and the fragmentation of our nation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The quality of life in this country is not determined by the state alone. Let me briefly acknowledge a few other forces that shape our daily lives.

Our towns, cities and regions have a major influence – often greater than that of the central state. Local governments are closest to the citizen, and their decisions often have the most direct impact.

As I have said earlier, Slovakia’s system of self-government is in need of serious reform – and I intend to contribute to that effort as president. But above all, we must ensure that local governments are never treated as adversaries of the state. They must be recognised and respected as partners.

Only yesterday, at the congress of the Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia, I thanked our mayors, city leaders and regional governors for the role they played during the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the migration crisis. In many instances, they stepped in to fill the gaps left by the central government. They made decisions that protected health and saved lives.

They deserve our gratitude and our respect – and I offer both again today, here in the National Council of the Slovak Republic.

But I must also stress – after 32 years of independence, we will not move forward without a major and fundamental reform of how this country is governed.

The role of the business sector

In addition to the state and local government, the business sector also has an enormous impact on quality of life in Slovakia.

And here, I want to emphasise something to the state – the same message I gave regarding local authorities: employers must be treated as partners, not as enemies.

I fully understand the government’s aim to consolidate public finances in a way that places greater responsibility on the wealthiest – on banks, monopolies, large corporations, and exceptionally successful individuals. This is especially important in difficult times.

But even as we pursue this objective, the government must be careful not to suppress economic growth. It must not stifle entrepreneurial ambition to the point where investors start leaving Slovakia, or where people lose the will to do business altogether.

It is perfectly natural that a government rooted in two social democratic parties would focus more on the needs of employees than of employers. That is understandable.

But let us approach further consolidation measures in a way that allows employers to remain employers – that is, people who give others work, and who can gradually offer better and fairer wages.

Media

Ladies and gentlemen,

I cannot conclude this address without mentioning the media, which play a decisive role in shaping our society – in influencing public attitudes and opinions.

Their task has become immensely challenging in the age of social media. And here I must express concern. I fear that the rapid growth of social platforms has misled some media outlets about what their core mission should be.

Today, almost anyone with a mobile phone can create content. Anyone can publish information – whether true or false. In this environment, journalists sometimes struggle to decide how to handle such content.

But let us be clear: it is not the media’s job to amplify every lie or absurdity someone invents, simply to challenge others with it. Their responsibility is to act as a filter – to identify what truly matters, and what is true.

Too often, I feel that some outlets have abandoned their original role of verifying facts across multiple sources. Fact-checking now sometimes means offering airtime to someone who has been the target of a baseless attack – as if that alone validates the story.

Such “verified” reports then spread from one outlet to another, even when the core claim is pure fabrication.

In these difficult times, responsible media must remain guardians of the truth – where facts, not likes or follower counts, determine what is real.

Foreign policy

Allow me to turn briefly to an area of utmost importance – foreign policy.

Slovakia is not an isolated island. We are a small, highly open economy, and an active member of international organisations that shape our external policy to a great extent.

After taking office, I signed – together with the acting speaker of the National Council and the prime minister – a declaration on Slovakia’s foreign policy to mark Constitution Day. To this day, I consider that declaration to be fully relevant.

In it, we, the three highest constitutional officials, pledged the following:

• To uphold Slovakia’s unquestionable membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

• To support a sovereign Slovak foreign policy, including on matters essential to improving relations between EU and NATO member states.

• To defend Slovakia’s place in international organisations, based on the founding treaties – always in the interest of our country and its citizens, as well as the organisations themselves.

That declaration made clear: Slovakia stands for a sovereign foreign policy – open to all four cardinal directions.

I fully support that approach, and I have always acted accordingly throughout my political career. But today, I must publicly remind us all: one of those four directions is still the West. And the West must not disappear from our foreign policy.

Because the West is not just one direction among many – it is, and must remain, our most vital strategic anchor.

Eighty-nine percent of all investment in Slovakia comes from the European Union. And seventy-eight percent of our exports go to EU member states.

The EU is our economic, political, value-based, and increasingly also our security space – and under no circumstances should we abandon it.

That is why I call on the government today: in pursuing a foreign policy open to all directions, do not drift away from our partners in the European Union and our allies in NATO.

Let us listen carefully to our partners – even when they express views we may not immediately share. The path forward lies in dialogue and cooperation, not in deepening mistrust or confrontation. That road would bring severe consequences for Slovakia.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear fellow citizens,

I sincerely hope that my address today contributes to Slovakia’s positive development – that it helps ensure our country remains a good home for all who live here.

That is why I have focused not on the past or daily political quarrels, but on a vision for Slovakia’s future. Voters will draw their own conclusions about the political events of today – and express them at the ballot box in future democratic elections.

As president of the Republic, I remain committed to the values that can make life in Slovakia calmer, safer and more dignified.

Let me end by repeating the principles I set out in my inaugural address – because I believe they are enduring, and because they matter:

Ladies and gentlemen, dear fellow citizens,

We must be able to walk our streets and send our children to school without fear.
We must ensure that health and education are not privileges available only to the wealthy.
We must know that in old age, in illness, or in life’s toughest moments, the state will not abandon us.
We must believe that we will leave behind a liveable planet for our children and their children – that our efforts today have meaning for future generations.
We must trust that no matter our background, faith, nationality, social status, skin colour or orientation, we are all equal citizens of the Slovak Republic.
We must believe that honest work and spiritual legacy will be recognised – regardless of the political system in which they came into being.

I trust that everyone in this chamber will do all they can to make these values a reality.

Let us stop looking back – it serves us little. Now is the time to look ahead, and act in ways that bring a better future closer, not push it further away.

Let us all succeed – because that is our obligation to the people who have placed their trust in us.

Ladies and gentlemen, members of parliament, honourable members of the government of the Slovak Republic,

Before I conclude, I ask you – sincerely – to ask yourselves one essential question before every decision you make in parliament or in government:

Will this decision help people in Slovakia live better, safer, healthier and more peacefully?

Thank you for your attention.