Slovak presidency of EU Council

By Choe Chong-dae

My interest in Slovakia began in the early ‘80s, when I met Czechoslovak delegates at a reception held at the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) Camp in Panmunjeom Truce Village in the DMZ. I was both concerned and excited to meet them, because Korea had no diplomatic ties with their country or any Communist countries including the Eastern bloc at that time.

After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the Slovaks and Czechs established Czechoslovakia as a sovereign state. A separate Slovakia had existed in World War II, as a vassal state of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. The federal state of Czechoslovakia was reestablished in 1945 under Communist control as part of the Eastern bloc.

As a result of the nonviolent Velvet Revolution in 1989, the Slovak Republic finally became an independent state on Jan. 1, 1993 after its peaceful separation from Czechoslovakia.

Then, in the second half of 2016, I was delighted to learn of the first Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union, as it is a unique opportunity for the country to increase its diplomatic influence, expertise and managerial skills.

Slovakia will play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable solutions for the EU’s political agenda, with a sense of respect, enthusiasm and responsibility as well as a positive attitude toward new challenges.

In preparation for dealing with a range of challenges during its EU presidency, Slovakia has reinforced its diplomatic core in Brussels with a considerable number of experts. These efforts are to reassure other members of the union of its commitment to strengthen regional order and global governance to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

For me, it is hard to think of Slovakia without referring to its capital Bratislava, which is also the center of Slovak culture and arts. Bratislava is linked to its neighbors, Vienna in Austria and Budapest in Hungary, by the majestic Danube River.

The picturesque Bratislava Castle, a magnificent rectangular medieval building with four corner towers, stands proudly on the isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians, over the Danube River in the heart of Bratislava. The castle fascinates many foreign tourists.

Bratislava, once known by its Hungarian name Pozsnoy, is historically significant because it hosted 11 royal coronations. During the Ottoman/Turkish occupation of Hungary, the city served as the seat of Royal Hungary. Remarkably, Maria Theresa, one of Austria's most powerful and influential monarchs, was crowned in 1741 at St. Martin's Cathedral located in the Old Town below Bratislava Castle. Nonetheless, Bratislava, the center of a once-thriving royal city where a splendid culture flourished, is not well-known by Koreans.

Noticeably, 12 years of EU membership have contributed to Slovakia’s outstanding economic development. It is one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU. Slovakia has many advantages such as its great geographical location, political and economic stability, a skilled labor force, good incentives for foreign investment and the warm welcoming spirit of its people, which attracts much foreign investment.

My wish is that Slovakia’s leadership of the EU will successfully coordinate and handle internal and external challenges, particularly regarding migration, human rights and the refugee crisis, the escalation of terrorism, continuing conflicts, the Greek bailout and Brexit issues. And, the EU should promote an international system to strengthen security and peace in their region as well as around the whole world, based on multilateralism. A strong EU that shares a vision and acts together is necessary.

Choe Chong-dae is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co. and Director of the Korean-Swedish Association. He can be reached at choecd@naver.com