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Slovakia Puts Integration of Western Balkans Into EU Among Priorities
Thursday 25 February 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, February 25, (TASR) - Slovakia backs the process of further European Union enlargement during Spain's current six-month presidency and the following two periods under Belgium and Hungary, seeing more stability in the Union and its own membership benefits, wrote the Foreign Ministry in a strategic document cleared by the Government on Thursday.
Among its priorities, Slovakia lists the integration drive in the Western Balkans and the completion of accession talks with Croatia this year. It also promotes entry talks with other states such as Macedonia, provided that they have complied with the pre-entry criteria.
Regarding climate and the environment, the country will promote ambitious goals such as a reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and will pursue the idea of a 'national energy mix' that includes the exploitation of nuclear energy as one of the elements in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In the above three presidential terms, the Union should focus on the implementation of the Stockholm Programme, which sets EU priorities between 2010-14 in regard to common asylum policy, migration, visa policy, protection of borders and other issues. The EU should also concentrate on the EU 2020 Strategy, which outlines ways of bringing about economic revival in the Union.
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