Gasparovic inaugurated as president for second term

June 16, 2009

PRESIDENT Ivan Gasparovic became the first Slovak president to be inaugurated for a second term on Monday in ceremonies boycotted by many leading politicians and facing demonstrators as he gave his inaugural sppech from the Presidential Palace.

The ceremonies began with Gasparovic swearing an oath before Constitutional Court chair Ivetta Macejkova during a ceremonial parliamentary session on Monday, held in the historic Slovak National Theatre building. This officially marked the beginning his second term in office.

Gasparovic became the first Slovak president to be re-elected to the post after defeating Iveta Radicova in the second, run-off round of the presidential elections in early April by 55.53 percent to 44.46 percent.

"Time has shown that I was right. The nation and social sentiment haven't fallen by the wayside today," Gasparovic said, referring to his election-campaign and working slogan: "I think nationally, I feel socially".

Gasparovic pointed to the great deal of criticism that the slogan has attracted, which many labelled as early as five years ago as an anachronism and something detached from the modus operandi of the modern world.

The trust that people expressed in me in the election is a commitment as well as a sign that people are not indifferent when it comes to their country and the politicians who run it, Gasparovic added

The president also highlighted Slovakia's achievements since it became independent in 1993. "I'm glad that my work has contributed to this. However, the largest share of success is down to you, dear fellow citizens, who haven't lost trust and loyalty in your state despite your difficult social standing," he added.

In his speech, Gasparovic also pointed to what he called the discomfort with which Slovakia views the activities of certain politicians in the region, those thereby complicating relations between states and nations. "Slovakia knows that for its development it needs friendship and co-operation with all its neighbours," he said.

Regarding the status and rights of ethnic minorities, he stressed that the Slovak Constitution delineates these and underlined that their protection goes beyond the constitutions of other European Union member states.

Gasparovic said that 20 years after the Velvet Revolution, most of Slovak society finds itself at a spiritual crossroads vis-à-vis its development. It is a question of values that the global economic crisis has affected.

Iveta Radicova conceded after Gasparovic's inauguration ceremony on Monday that there were a few moments when she fancied herself in Gasparovic's shoes.

"I won't conceal that this happened mainly at the moment of the inauguration speech. Mine would probably have been different," Radicova said after the ceremony, adding that she would rather try to point to the suggestions and solutions as to how to "sail through" the current difficult times. Radicova was sitting in the first row at the ceremony, explaining this step as a display of her respect for the highest constitutional post. "This is also a show of respect regarding the 1.23 million people that elected Gasparovic. And there also was a belief that he would really be the president of all citizens," she noted.

The ceremonies were boycotted by the junior coalition party LS-HZDS, of which Gasparovic was a leading member before falling out with party leader Vladimir Meciar in 2002. Meciar called a party and ministerial caucus in Modra to coincide with the ceremony.

Re-elected LS-HZDS MEP Sergej Kozlik attended the ceremonies saying that he viewed his participation in the event as a "matter of honour." Former LS-HZDS general secretary and former agriculture minister Zdenka Kramplova also attended.

Opposition ethnic Hungarian SMK party chairman Pal Csaky said last week that his party's MPs wouldn't attend part of Gasparovic's inauguration. He added the party's presidium agreed on this move as a sign of protest against some the statements made by Gasparovic before the elections to the European Parliament.

During a speech to the public from the balcony of the Presidential Palace, Gasparovic was faced with protestors holding posters demonstrating about human rights abuses in China, ahead of the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao later this week.

"I thank all of you, and thank also those with those posters ... they at least have shown who they are and also what they are like," he said on behalf of the demonstrators for human rights in China.

Meanwhile, the demonstrators were being attacked by Gasparovic supporters, who tore apart their posters, saying that they shouldn't spoil the president's inauguration, and then they sent the demonstrators to protest in front of the Chinese Embassy.

The demonstrators were also checked by police, but no arrests were made.