Róbert Puci was once a supporter of Robert Fico and his SMER party. Six years ago, however, he left and joined HLAS – Social Democracy. Although he has been active in Slovak politics for fourteen years, he has maintained a healthy sense of perspective. “When you become a member of parliament or even a minister, suddenly everyone wants to be your friend – even people you have not seen for years. But one day you will no longer be an MP. That is why it is important to keep your feet on the ground,” he says.
Over the past year, it has become increasingly difficult to find common ground between Slovakia’s governing coalition and the opposition – at least from the outside. What do you currently consider the most important issue on which there should be consensus and constructive dialogue?
You are right – finding common ground has become genuinely difficult. If you look at the opposition’s activities, you will see that they have been reduced mainly to filibustering in parliament and tabling motions of no confidence against ministers. I consider that rather petty political behaviour. We should all remember that voters elected us to govern the country for a four-year term. Yet many of the projects we work on extend far beyond that period. Hospital construction, for example, is an issue that should enjoy broad political consensus. A new government cannot simply start building in a different location, because then patients will never see any real results.
Would you say there is at least consensus within HLAS, or do you also experience significant disagreements within the party?
There is a saying that there is strength in unity – and that is doubly true for a political party. Naturally, we have different opinions, but when you share a common goal, those differences become secondary. Our unifying vision is a strong Slovakia where people can enjoy a good quality of life from birth to old age. To be fair, however, I must admit that things have not always been perfect. Some people who entered parliament on our electoral list had misguided values and were primarily interested in enriching themselves. None of them is still a member of our party. We learned our lesson and have continued our work for the people.
The EU Migration Pact has now entered into force, although its practical implementation differs from country to country. Slovakia has been cautious and critical from the outset. How do you expect its implementation to look in practice?
Migration is a sensitive issue for us in HLAS, in the proper sense of the word. We take it seriously. We do not want populism or panic, but we do insist on respect for the sovereignty of the member states. Discussions on implementing the Migration Pact are ongoing with EU member states, and Slovakia is actively participating in them. We are building partnerships with neighbouring countries that face a similar situation. It is important to remember that Slovakia is neither a country of first entry into the EU nor the migrants’ final destination. We are simply a transit country. In practice, this means we are focusing on protecting our borders. Minister of the Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok is continuing to modernize our security forces, including equipping the police and the fire and rescue service with new technology to protect the country’s borders. That is the approach we support – investing in real protection rather than paying fines to Brussels.
Visiting the East Slovak Folklore Festival.
You have been active in politics for fourteen years. Do you view politics and the possibilities available to members of parliament differently today than you did at the beginning – perhaps more as the art of the possible?
Anyone who has worked in politics will tell you that it is one of the most demanding professional environments. But from the outside it often does not appear that way because people usually see only the the glamorous side. Especially when politicians do their jobs properly and do not air internal coalition disputes in public, as happened under the previous Matovič governments. I have also seen people who allowed political life to crush them. When you become an MP or even a minister, suddenly everyone wants to be your friend – even those you have not seen for years. Your phone never stops ringing, and people constantly make you feel important. It is essential to keep your feet on the ground despite all that, because one day you will no longer be an MP, and that phone will stop ringing. I know people who struggled greatly with the transition from politics back to ordinary life. Personally, I believe I have managed to maintain a healthy attitude towards my work throughout these years.
Regions in Slovakia are still often overshadowed by the larger cities. You come from Trebišov in the Košice Region. What should the Slovak government prioritize for regional development?
That is quite a complex question because regional development requires both effective local governments and well-designed national policies. In the case of Trebišov, for example, one important step was the launch of the Shared Services Centre, which we opened last year. It allows mayors to share specialists such as design engineers, payroll experts, and other professionals whom individual municipalities could not fully utilize on their own, thereby saving part of their budgets for other projects. We have also introduced initiatives such as Work Instead of Benefits and No School, No Benefits, which aim to encourage as many employable people as possible to enter the workforce and ensure that their children attend school, giving both them and our country a better future.
The author is a staff writer for Deník
Relaxation
Where and how does Róbert Puci recharge his batteries? “I usually spend my summers attending various municipal events, mostly in eastern Slovakia,” he says. “Summer is a great opportunity to meet people, talk to them about their everyday lives, and receive direct feedback on the measures we have introduced. Throughout the year, I also try to make time to relax, ideally by taking a long walk in the forest.”
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Róbert Puci (born June 13, 1973, in Trebišov) is a Slovak politician and Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
He graduated from the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra.
He has served as a Member of Parliament since 2012 and is Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Economic Affairs.
Until 2020, he was a member of SMER – Social Democracy. Following the split within the party in 2020, he left SMER and joined HLAS – Social Democracy, where he serves as a member of the party’s Presidium.
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