This year, Slovakia will hold local and regional elections, followed by parliamentary elections next year. It is therefore only natural that political disputes, exchanges of views, and public statements are becoming increasingly intense. We spoke with Richard Raši (HLAS-SD), Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, about how parliament functions in such an atmosphere, as well as about the renewed Czech-Slovak relationship.
The situation in the Slovak parliament is rather complicated, especially given the government’s very narrow majority. Have you managed to stabilize the situation, or is your work becoming increasingly difficult as the elections approach?
Parliament is, in a way, a reflection of the country’s political reality. Slovak politics is currently highly polarized, and that is naturally reflected in parliamentary proceedings. Nevertheless, the National Council continues to fulfil its fundamental role – debating legislation, passing laws, and ensuring the functioning of the state. Since taking office, my priority has been to create conditions for substantive debate and dignified parliamentary proceedings. However, the Speaker of Parliament cannot replace the political culture of individual MPs. His role is to ensure that the rules are respected and to protect the authority of the institution, not to re-educate politicians. It is true that the parliamentary majority is narrow and that political tensions increase as elections approach. However, that is nothing unusual. The important thing is that parliament continues to function, adopts the necessary decisions, and that political competition remains within the framework of democratic rules. That is precisely what I focus on in my role.
Which achievements of the governing coalition do you consider its greatest successes, and why should voters support you again?
I consider our greatest achievement to be the fact that we managed to accomplish two difficult tasks simultaneously – maintaining social stability while beginning to restore the country’s public finances. Very few governments are required to tackle both challenges at the same time. On the one hand, we had to implement fiscal consolidation; on the other, we did not want its consequences to fall on the most vulnerable members of society. At the same time, we demonstrated that the state should stand by its people – seniors, families, patients, employees, and regions that had long remained on the margins of political attention. I also regard investments in healthcare, hospital modernization, support for local governments, and infrastructure development in the regions as particularly important. We have never concealed the fact that we inherited public finances in a very poor state. That made it an even greater challenge to make responsible decisions while preserving the social character of politics that is natural for HLAS-SD. It has not always been an easy path, but I am convinced that responsibility is more important than making promises that cannot be fulfilled. The voters will decide whether we have been successful. What I can say is that the work of our ministers and MPs has produced tangible results that people can see in their towns, villages, and in the public services they use every day.
Following the appointment of the new Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Czech-Slovak relations at the highest level have been restored, including joint government meetings. In your view, which areas deserve the greatest attention in our bilateral relations?
Czech-Slovak relations are truly unique in the world. We are united by a shared history, closely related languages, and intensive personal ties. That is precisely why our relationship does not require grand gestures but, above all, regular and practical cooperation. I am pleased that dialogue at the highest political level has been fully restored, both between the governments of our two countries and at the parliamentary level. During the past period, I have also met several times with Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, Tomio Okamura, and I am pleased that we have succeeded in restoring an intensive political dialogue. If I had to identify the areas that deserve the greatest attention in the coming years, I would highlight security and the economy. Our economies are closely interconnected and face similar challenges – from industrial competitiveness and energy prices to attracting new investment. Equally important is coordination in promoting our shared interests within the European Union. I also see great potential in culture, education, and joint projects aimed at young people. It is the younger generation that should have the opportunity to build relationships that naturally continue the exceptional closeness between our nations. It is also essential to strengthen cooperation in the border regions. It is there that Czech-Slovak partnership most clearly demonstrates that it is not merely a political project but a natural part of everyday life for our citizens. I am convinced that if we continue this practical cooperation, our relationship will remain one of the closest and strongest in Europe.
More than eighty years after the Second World War, the Beneš Decrees have once again become a topic of discussion in both Czechia and Slovakia. In Slovakia, they have even affected relations with Hungary. In your view, what is this dispute really about, and why was it necessary for Slovakia to adopt legislation against questioning the outcome of the Second World War?
It is important to distinguish very clearly between two different issues. One is historical discussion, academic research, and sensitive debate about the individual fates of people. Such discussions unquestionably have their place in a free society. The other is the political questioning of the post-war settlement in Europe and the outcome of the Second World War. Slovakia is a country founded on clear anti-fascist, democratic, and European principles. The Slovak National Uprising, one of the major events of the Second World War, played a decisive role in shaping that identity. I consider the unfortunate – and, in my view, politically motivated – reopening of the issue of the Beneš Decrees by the Progressive Slovakia party to be an imprudent step, to which we as the governing coalition responded immediately and appropriately. The subsequent developments in neighbouring Hungary, including statements coming from the other side of the Danube, suggest that this was part of a deliberate process. From my perspective, this is not a dispute between Slovaks and Hungarians, nor is it an attempt to return to historical conflicts. Slovakia seeks good, constructive relations with Hungary. That is precisely why I believe we should focus on the shared challenges of the present and the future, rather than reopening questions that have already been settled both historically and under international law.
The author is a European editor of Deník
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-level certification in surgery 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.
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