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Gasparovic Appeals to Slovaks to Be Self-confident in New Year Speech
Friday 01 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 1 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic in his New Year speech wished his countrymen more self-confidence and spiritual riches, and appealed for a return to human moral values while calling on the public not to underestimate elections.
"Elections are an opportunity to express freely your opinion on society, politics and people's needs," he stressed, claiming that the current political system suits political parties more than the people.
Gasparovic stressed that in the same way as the public, he also rejects political wranglings, injustice, lies, calumnies, fraud and the harming of innocents. He appealed to people to think more about their families.
At the same time, the president reiterated his slogan: "I think nationally, I feel socially", stating that he is aware of this in its fullness more and more.
He also evaluated the past year as one marked by the economic crisis. On the other hand, there was also good news in 2009 - such as the adoption of the euro and the Treaty of Lisbon, road construction and energy self-sufficiency.
"We have a market-oriented economy, but also a significant number of unemployed. We have bold social policies, but also not a small number of homeless people. We spend a lot of money on education and healthcare, but we aren't happy with the level of education and the state of the public's health," said the president, who lamented the fact that Slovakia still hasn't succeeded in setting up life-long education and the development of science and culture in motion.
The president claimed that it is interpersonal relations that have been disturbed the most over recent decades. He therefore praised an initiative by Slovak Catholic bishops, who called for solidarity in their recent pastoral letter.
"Money has been promoted to the highest value of our time, the lord of everything and everyone. Money humiliates us at the moment in particular," said Gasparovic, adding that people gather material property, watch television excessively, but fail to devote their time to conversations with their relatives and friends.
According to Gasparovic, Slovaks shouldn't underestimate themselves as a nation. "I don't think that we're living inferior lives to other Europeans. We should be more self-confident, determined and strong-minded," he said.
In conclusion, Gasparovic wished all Slovaks spiritual richness, health, good luck, God's blessings and peace in their families. "May the New Year of 2010 be better, more dignified and certain than the old year," he added.
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