Chair of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Richard Raši met in mid-March with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura at the symbolic hill of Veľká Javorina, which lies on the border between Czechia and Slovakia. Shortly afterward, he attended the joint meeting of both governments and a few days later celebrated his 55th birthday.
What was the meeting at Veľká Javorina like?
For me personally, this meeting on the Slovak–Czech border represented a definitive and sincere restart of our relations. We wanted to send a clear signal that our nations are naturally close and that politics must not be an obstacle but a bridge that connects us. The well-known motto “Here, brothers will always meet” was translated into concrete actions – from restoring intensive cooperation between parliamentary committees to preparing a joint Czech-Slovak mutuality foundation for young people. We are fully committed to ensuring that no one will ever again think of interrupting relations between the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic because of differing political views. In these relations, politics should support cooperation, not create unnecessary problems. March thus became a true month of Czech-Slovak relations. On Javorina, we demonstrated that we can jointly address not only culture or our shared historical heritage, but also practical matters such as cross-border emergency assistance and regional development. I am convinced that the sense of closeness felt on this hill for nearly two centuries is precisely the foundation on which we are building a modern and strong partnership between our countries today.
At the end of March, a meeting was also held at Nová Horka Castle in Studénka, where Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Prime Minister Robert Fico signed a Memorandum on enhanced cooperation between the governments of Czechia and Slovakia. How significant is this meeting?
Our partnership with the Czech Republic has long gone beyond purely formal diplomacy. It is a living relationship built on concrete actions that directly influence the quality of life of our citizens. The range of areas in which we cooperate is extremely broad – from strategic economic issues to culture. Our parliamentary committees communicate intensively, whether in the areas of economic affairs, foreign affairs, or energy. Together, we are seeking solutions to ensure stable prices of energy and raw materials, while also acting in a coordinated manner within the European Union. We share a common ambition to protect our industry from overly radical measures such as bans on combustion engines or high emissions allowance prices that could threaten jobs and living standards in both our countries. We also place strong emphasis on regional development and support for future generations. Through the INTERREG program, we are directing up to €90 million into joint projects that connect Czech and Slovak municipalities. The Czech-Slovak Mutuality Foundation will support student exchanges and culture, so that young people can understand each other just as naturally as we do.
In which situations is the closeness between our nations most evident?
This closeness is most evident in critical situations where health and safety are at stake. A major achievement for citizens on both sides of the Slovak-Czech border is the new agreement on emergency medical systems. In practice, this means something simple but vital: if someone finds themselves in distress in a border area, the nearest ambulance – whether Slovak or Czech – can respond regardless of the state border. We are also preparing a new agreement on cooperation between our police forces and coordinating our positions on migration. A country is only as good for its citizens as it is safe. Whether it is better road and rail connections or mutual assistance between emergency services, our goal is to ensure that politics does not complicate relations, but makes them stronger and safer for every family in our shared neighborhood.
Meeting with Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura at Veľká Javorina.
We would also like to congratulate you on your milestone birthday. Who did you celebrate with?
Thank you very much for the kind wishes. My birthday was celebrated in a classic way, which I prefer most – with family and friends. In my busy schedule, spending time together with those closest to me is the greatest gift.
What gift did you wish for the most?
It may sound like a cliché, but the older I get, the more I realize that the most important things cannot be bought. Above all, I wished for health for my family and loved ones.
A few days later, you celebrated Easter in the High Tatras. How do you perceive the message of these holidays?
I spent Easter in the beautiful nature of the Tatras. For me, the main message of these holidays is hope and a new beginning, but also slowing down and reflecting on traditional values – both social ones and those that underpin human relationships. We live in an extremely fast-paced world, and holidays like Easter remind us that family and inner peace are the true values on which our lives are built. It is a time when we should set aside disagreements and find our way back to one another.
Did you also get to spend time with your mother?
Yes, I am very grateful that we could all be together, including my mother. I deeply admire her for the incredible strength with which she goes through life, as well as for the indescribable calm she brings to those around her. Our time together in the Tatras reaffirmed for me how important it is to devote sufficient time and attention to the people closest to us. It makes returning to work much easier.
CV BOX
Richard Raši (born April 2, 1971, in Košice) has been the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and Vice-Chair of the HLAS-SD party since the end of March 2025.
In 1995, he finished his studies in general medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Pavel Jozef Šafárik University in Košice and later also completed a first-degree surgery certification and a special exam in trauma surgery. He earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Slovak Medical University in Bratislava in 2004. In 2010, he finished his PhD studies at the Technical University of Košice.
Since 1995, he has worked at the Trauma Surgery Clinic at the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice, where he served as Deputy Director of preventive and therapeutic care from 2004. In March 2007, he was appointed Director of the University Hospital Bratislava.
From 2007 to 2020, he was a member of the SMER-SD party but then moved to HLAS-SD. From 2010, he served as Mayor of Košice for eight years and served as Minister of Health for two years starting in 2008. He also served twice as Minister for Investment, Regional Development, and Informatization (2018–2020 and 2023–March 2025).
Raši is married and has three daughters.
ad
