After Vienna summit of the European Union, which did not bring significant shift in evaluation of Slovakia's preparedness for the integration, there is a certain disappointment and disillusion in the field of soon including of Slovakia into the first group of central European countries, which Brussels is leading entry talks with. Pavol Hamžík, Slovak Vice-Premier for the European Integration, says that the most important issue for Slovakia is to get into position of acceptable candidate for holding of the talks on entry.

The time horizons of the EU enlargement to the east are permanently being shifted. According to the recent Brussels assumptions, the process will not begin sooner than in 2005-2006. What, according to your opinion, causes such time shift? Is it a problem of successful introduction of the Euro currency or unsolved internal problems in the EU?

I think that time horizon of 2005-2006 is real also from our point of view. We must prepare for the entry into the European Union. We have to balance up mainly level of our economy, know how to defend our interests and be a contribution for the EU. We will try to speed up these processes, but priority issue must be beginning of the talks with the EU on entry.

It is the most important moment for us, which will give us a concrete prospect in the field of EU entry and then it will not be important as to whether the talks will last one year longer or shorter. Of course, there are also internal problems in the EU, including the Agenda 2000 or budget of the EU for 2000-2006. These problems can be overcome. However, the enlargement process has always been connected with process of deepening the European integration.

Firstly, the EU must gain experience after introduction of the Euro currency. I think that it will operate well, even though all consequences of the Euro currency introduction can be hardly estimated. We will have to adapt to these new conditions and at the moment of the EU entry we will have to be acclimatised for conditions of the Euro currency. I would not make drama of internal EU problems, they are natural to certain extent. It is a process, which has its own problematic sides. European Union has overcome many negative experience, which hinder the enlargement process. It has also negative experience with candidate countries, which it has already begun negotiations with.

When do you expect that Slovakia will be in a position of acceptable candidate? Do you think that Slovakia will get into such position this year?

I have never assumed that it will come from one day to the next that political issues will change, that every one will applaud and immediately everything will be all right. We must convince that the internal political situation is stable, that governing coalition is stable and it also solves economy problems not only fulfils political criteria. It is completely natural and from the side of the European Union legal. I would be glad if we further fulfil not only political criteria, what will not be a problematic, but solve the economy problems in the field of restructuring, opening for foreign investments in a way to the EU and European Commission decide in March or April there is real time for making decision on our integration in June. It is only in our hands.

How would you evaluate in this connection preparedness of Slovakia for future regimen of free trade between Slovakia and the EU after 2002? Do you think that it will be necessary to make new association agreement with the EU or ask the EU for transition period for Slovakia?

Transition period will be necessary. Of course, the issue is in which field. The less fields, the simplest negotiations. However, the economy must be balanced. Wages of our employees are at the level of 15-16 per cent of wages for the same work of similarly qualified people in Western Europe. Borders for free trade and free movement of people cannot be opened because it would threaten the EU, as well as Slovakia. I think that in 2001, we can be so far that basic conditions for our entry will be agreed and set. I see it as certain natural process and possibly we do not realise difficulties of the process. We see an aim - entry into the EU, but we still have not realised that it is problem involving all of us.