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Brigita Schmognerova: I Want to Foster Social Democracy in Slovakia
Tuesday 21 September 2010 Zoom in | Print page
After eight years of working abroad, she says she has come back home to share her experience and help cultivate social democracy in Slovakia. The country's former finance minister (1998-2002) and more recently vice-president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (2005-2010) Brigita Schmognerova spoke to TASR – making her the first instalment of the newly-launched 'TASR Personalities: Faces and Thoughts' project.
-You have wrapped up your stay at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Looking back on your five-year mandate, what do you find to be your greatest achievement as EBRD vice-president?-
My responsibilities included areas like the environment, sustainable development, public procurement transparency, and administrative affairs. As a bank, we made a huge step forward, I believe. For instance, as for the environmental agenda, EBRD is now more closely attached to topics like global warming, climate-change a adaptation, but also social and gender issues. These are topics that weren't paid much attention to before. Any project that the bank decides on now has to undergo so-called due diligence, wherein environmental burdens, social impacts and many more elements are taken into consideration. We also moved on setting requirements for transparent public procurement procedures that we insist our clients follow.
-In this respect, how do you see public procurement transparency in Slovakia?-
I have no detailed information. I only know about what emerges on the surface in the media. If this information reflects the reality, then it's catastrophic. And you shouldn't be linking it to one single government. I think that corruption has its roots across society as a whole. What's by far the worst thing is that people have learned how to get along with it, and they tolerate it.
-What's your plan for the near future in Slovakia?-
I have agreed to lecture at two universities. Naturally, I'm going to lean on my experience from both abroad and inside Slovak politics. Besides this, I've got a couple of smaller projects going on in my civic association. And I also hope I'll find my way to writing something.
-Aren't you thinking about going back into politics?-
I have just mentioned my civic association. It's been going for five years now, representing a certain attempt to contribute to the discussion on Slovakia's socio-economic development. I might also touch off a smaller project designed to foster social-democratic thinking in Slovakia.
-Are you suggesting that there may be a new political party coming on in Slovakia?-
No, I no longer have such ambitions. This is more about cultivating social-democratic thinking in Slovakia.
-Would you cooperage with your former colleagues now grouped in Smer-SD?-
I'm member of no political party. All of those who want to get to know more about social democracy are welcome, including members of Smer-SD.
-Who in Slovakia fits your idea of social democracy?-
One thing is that my attempt is to nurture social-democratic thinking, which is not necessarily bound to a single political party. But on the other hand, now, Smer-SD is the only relevant party advocating social democracy.
The interview with Brigita Schmognerova comes first with TASR's new multimedia project called 'Personalities: Faces and Thoughts'. On a weekly basis, TASR will provide interviews, photographs and video-recordings of figures from European and global political, economic and cultural life. Next week, TASR will carry an interview with president of the Slovak-Atlantic Commission and former Slovak ambassador to the U.S.A. Rastislav Kacer.
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