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Carnogursky: Slovakia Could Be Beachhead for Russians to Enter EU
Wednesday 31 March 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava/Moscow, March 31 (TASR) - Slovak-Russian relations have improved in recent years, Slovak Parliament Vice-Chair Anna Belousovova said on Wednesday at the first video-link discussion between Bratislava and Moscow, organised by the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti in co-operation with the News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR).
The video-link discussion was focused on Slovak-Russian relations in the 21st century, attended by Belousovova as well as the Slovak-Russian company Chairman Jan Carnogursky, WWII veteran Jan Minarik and a host of businessmen, media representatives and personalities from the field of culture. Their discussion partners in Moscow were Russian parliamentary Committee for Culture Chairman and Committee for UNESCO Affairs Vice-Chairman Alexander Dzasokhov, Slovak-Russian Fellowship Institution Vice-President Irina Rukinova and Russia-Slovakia-Czech Republic veteran group leader Boris Litvin. The discussion was hosted by Ria Novosti representative office for central and eastern Europe chief Leonid Sviridov.
Slovak participants of the discussion firstly conveyed their sadness and solidarity regarding Monday's (March 29) terrorist attack in Moscow's metro that claimed 39 lives, sending their condolences to the bereaved.
Carnogursky said that the Slovak-Russian company enlightens Slovak public about Russian culture. As a member state of the EU, he said Slovakia can make entry into the EU easier for Russians. "Slovakia aspires to be a beachhead for Russian citizens into the EU," claimed Carnogursky.
War veteran Jan Minarik pointed out that the Slovak-Russian relations are not an issue of the 21st century alone, but go back much further. Minarik gave an example from the military field that illustrates the closeness between the two countries, referring to the forming of joint forces in Buzuluk (Russia) in WWII and the fact that there were no differences between Soviet, Czech and Slovak soldiers. Minarik, who fought in the army of Ludvik Svoboda all the way to Prague, said that the relations between the soldiers were highly cordial.
Belousovova, whose late husband was Russian, claimed that there's room for further improvement in Slovak-Russian relations. According to her, Slovakia should have a higher profile in Russia - not only politically but also on the field of economics and between Russian and Slovak people. She said she thinks in recent years a gap in interpersonal relations has emerged, as the young Slovak generation knows little of the Russian Federation and vice-versa. In Slovakia, people are oversaturated with Western and American culture, while Russia has lots to offer in terms of culture as well.
In trade and commerce, she says Russia represents an interesting partner for Slovakia – and Russian markets should open up more for Slovakia. As far as the broad-gauge railway track (set to be built across Slovakia to Vienna) is concerned, Belousovova would want to have a terminal constructed in Slovakia as well.
In this respect, Carnogursky said that Slovak-Russian company promotes the idea of having the EU abolish the visa duty for Russians, who in recent polls have shown a groundswell of support for closer European ties.
According to Dzasokhov, it's necessary to view the mutual relations from a long-term perspective. He said that there are Russian sympathies for Slovakia, and he appreciated the fact that the graves of fallen Soviet soldiers in Slovakia were always treated with respect.
In this respect Litvin pointed out that the friendship between Russia and Slovakia has been forged - at least from the war veterans' perspective - in battles.
The video-link discussion was organised on the occasion of upcoming visit of Russian President Dmitrij Medvedev to Slovakia. The visit, set for April 6-7, will mark the 65th anniversary of Bratislava's liberation by the Red Army.
TASR, along with RIA-Novosti, is considering organising another Slovak-Russian video discussion, this one focused on trade and commerce.
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