Press statement by President Costa following the meeting with Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico
Dear Prime Minister, dear Robert. Thank you for hosting me once again in Bratislava, in the heart of Europe, on this very first stop of my “Tour des Capitales” this year. Listening to every leader in their home country, every year, and hearing your views directly is very important for me as I prepare our work in the upcoming European Council meetings.
The Union is a union of nations, and unity among the 27 member states can only be built on the basis of all national positions.
This autumn will be decisive for the European Union. We will be working towards one of the most important decisions of this political cycle: as you said [Robert], to approve the European budget covering the period 2028-2034.
A budget is not just about numbers. It is the ultimate political choice, a choice about our future, about the Europe we want to build together. That is why we need to approach the final stages of this debate with an open mind and a spirit of collective responsibility. The next budget must have competitiveness, industrial transformation, defence, security, and strategic resilience at its heart – and it must reflect the demands of the challenging times we live in. That is why it will need to have a completely different architecture to previous budgets.
Moreover, the new budget must also ensure the effective use of funding for Cohesion policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, as these instruments proved to be essential to promoting prosperity and balanced development across Europe.
Slovakia is both an industrial powerhouse – namely in the automative industry – and a strong agricultural player: it is a perfect example of how the next MFF needs to reflect European ambitions in many different areas. At the same time, like national budgets, the European Union budget must deliver on its priorities within the limits of finite resources. Most of it is financed through member states’ national contributions. We need to keep those contributions within reasonable limits. That is why a balanced and ambitious package of so-called new own resources, that means own resources for the European Union, will be an essential part of an overall agreement.
One thing is certain: we must reach an agreement before the end of this year. We cannot risk interruptions in EU funding in 2028. They would affect our farmers, our businesses, our students, researchers and innovators – in a nutshell, our citizens. I know it won’t be easy. But I am encouraged by the constructive spirit among leaders, and I am confident we can reach an agreement.
In that context, I want to thank Robert for Slovakia’s constructive approach to this debate. I also want to thank Robert for Slovakia’s coherent and steadfast support for the European Union enlargement. Supporting the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, on their paths towards membership of the European Union, is an investment in Europe’s – including Slovakia’s – security and prosperity. We need to continue working with the candidates through a merit-based process, and respect all of them equally.
The geopolitical developments of recent years have shown us one thing clearly: Europe needs to accelerate its path towards greater strategic autonomy. The most important condition for greater European autonomy is our own unity. And that was the main purpose of today’s meeting with the Slovakian Prime Minister, and of the talks I will have with European leaders in the next weeks – to foster unity.
So, dear Robert, thank you for your openness and for our constructive discussions, as you always do in the meetings of the European Council. I look forward to continuing this work with you at the next European Council.
Thank you very much.
