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Sefcovic: Powers of Foreign Affairs Ministry Should Be Stronger
Monday 12 April 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, April 12 (TASR) - Slovak EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has suggested that the powers of the Foreign Affairs Ministry should be extended, especially in terms of co-ordination of EU-related policies and legislative activities. As a result, the ministry would in future turn into the one having not only foreign affairs under its umbrella, but also the agenda of EU affairs (which is now a separate portfolio), said Sefcovic at the Annual Conference on Slovak Foreign Policy in Bratislava on Monday.
"On one hand, it would set a trend of reflecting the new position that Slovakia has within the European Union; and, on the other hand, it would give the ministry a new political dimension," said Sefcovic, who is one of seven vice-presidents of the European Commission, and whose portfolio includes the agenda of administration and inter-institutional relations.
In order to use the potential of the EU membership as effectively as possible, Slovakia should carry out an "in-depth audit" into the membership, said Sefcovic.
"I believe it's important that individual ministries carefully evaluate how do we participate on individual EU programmes, if we're comfortable with them ... and if we're not, why we're not ... and how we could increase the use of this potential," said the Commissioner, adding that there's a room for Slovakia acting in a more active way, and that some EU programmes are obsolete, calling for change.
The EU Commissioner also suggested that a Slovak Office for Science and Research be opened in Brussels, just like other countries (including the Czech Republic) have. According to Sefcovic, this would help Slovak entities to draw eurofunds to support science and research in the future.
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