Slovakia and the European Union

Slovakia and the European Union



The European Union and the process of integration of post-communistic states into this most important political and economic organisation in Europe are also in Slovakia one of the most discussed topics. Mainly the political parties compete with their integration ambitions and each party wants to be the one that will get Slovakia into the European Union. In the Slovak society there is a serious discussion how entering the European Union can influence various spheres of public life. To know what are the pros and cons of it, at first we should be familiar with what the European Union is and how has it been created.
The history of European Union reaches in year 1951 when in Paris was signed European Coal and Steel Agreement. Six countries, which wanted to cooperate in economic area, signed this agreement, and they didn’t want to be so dependent on USA. Later then in 1957 signed these founding countries Roman agreement which developed in creating the European Economic Community. Many countries of Western Europe joined this Community. When the iron curtain fell, European Society has completely changed and in 1992 was in Maastricht signed an agreement of European Union. Some of the aims European Union has are to include all European countries, to have one currency and to share its labour forces. Since 1997 European Union has been negotiating with Eastern Europe countries. Slovak Republic isn’t a member of European Union When the European Union was forming, we were one of the main expectants to join European Union. But in the latest four years our preferences went down and were on a minimal level. The Slovak Republic is successful in its negotiations with the European Union. We are close to access the European Union. If the European Union expands, we will most likely become its member. Today the preparation process in our country is being completed, we are quite ready to join the European Union and we are expected to join in the next few years. That means if everything goes well, Slovakia could enter the European Union in 2004 or 2005. But we have to complete some conditions. We have to synchronise our law system with more democratic standard of European Union, but this is quite hard to do because huge corruption (in fact Slovakia is considered as one of the most corrupted country in the world, on the level of countries like Mexico or Columbia), but we are doing some successful steps to eliminate corruption.

If Slovakia wants to join European Union there shouldn’t be only completed the requirements, but also our nation must be familiar what European Union is and which pros and cons it brings.
The positives I consider as the most important for joining the European Union are:
First and most important advantage is economic help in a form of financial support to Slovak industry and market. Social life can be also improved by the spread of foreign investments that could decrease unemployment and improve the living standard in Slovakia. Also the closer police and military cooperation in the battle against drugs and organised crime, which is related to high corruption would be an advantage.
Another advantage is the removing of borders and custom barriers, this would increase the international trade with Slovakia. There is also one, mainly emotional, positive. Slovaks as members of European Union could feel like a part of democratic and rich Europe, using Euro, free to move and having a lot of possibilities to improve or change their lives.
There are many other advantages, which are more or less important, but also the opponents have numerous very important arguments that should be considered:
Mentioned foreign investments and enlargement of the market means also the increase of competition, that can cause weakness and even extinction of small and not so strong domestic companies. Lower salaries in Slovakia can result that the most educated and qualified work force cut move abroad, where their skills would be paid better. Also the domestic agriculture can be weakened very much by the European Union’s restrictions and as a result of low competitiveness with the agricultural products from Western Europe (foreign products will be cheaper and more available because the custom taxes would be removed). The last negative is that unifying of Europe can suppress the unique national and regional traditions and identity.
1234All these doubtful things are exactly the subject of the negotiations and should be solved in a way of compromises. But only the reality and experience can show whether the negatives can be prevailed by the positives of joining the European Union.