Brussels, 26/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is "very pleased with the progress accomplished by Slovakia since 1999", said Dirk Meganck, Chief Negotiator for the European Commission in Slovakia's membership talks, on the occasion of the hearing organised on Tuesday by the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding the state of progress in accession negotiations with this country. The areas in which Slovakia must continue to make progress are: the fight against corruption, improvements in the Roma situation, political stability, and reduction of the public deficit and the very high rate of unemployment. Regarding the adoption and the implementation of Community acquis, "some chapters are difficult, but in comparison with other candidate countries, there are no outstanding issues", stressed the European Commission's Chief Negotiator.
Jan Figel, Chief Negotiator for Slovakia, felt that, after 1999 the year devoted to "political accession criteria" and 2000 the year of "economic criteria", 2001 will be the year devoted to "adoption of acquis/legislation". Some 175 legislative norms must be adopted during this year, he said.
Recalling that 23 negotiating chapters out of 30 have been opened with Slovakia, including 12 already provisionally closed, Jan Figel stressed that the aim of his country is to open the last six chapters during this half year, including that on financial control which "does not yet appear in the Presidency's working programme". Still under Swedish Presidency, Slovakia would like to close negotiations on the following subjects: telecommunications, customs, competition law, social policy and employment, the free movement of services and the free movement of capital.
Finally, Slovakia finds the fears that there will be a massive inflow of Slovakian workers after accession to the current Member States as "exaggerated and economically unjustified". On the other hand, it understands the political dimension of this issue in some Member States. Slovakia calls for the greatest flexibility possible and differentiation between candidates.