News Analysis: Brexit, migration to prove challenges for Slovak EU presidency

After 12 years of EU membership, Slovakia began its first presidency of the Council of the EU on Friday, marking a tough beginning with Britain voting to exit the EU on June 23 and the ongoing migration crisis.

The majority of British citizens choosing a Brexit in their country's referendum has created a tough job for Slovak diplomacy. It will be probably the hardest start of an EU presidency since the gas supply crisis in 2009.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico doesn't perceive the outcome of the British referendum as a tragedy, but rather as tough reality and the result of the British reacting to European politics.

"The EU must answer the question as to what happened and what was wrong," stated Fico about the state of the EU. He stressed the need to start a discussion on what EU citizens wanted. Fico declared he wanted to launch informal talks on the bloc's future during the presidency.

The Brexit challenge, however, is an opportunity for Slovakia to prove itself as a responsible leader of the EU, said Fico.

Currently, the EU hasn't any models to follow concerning how to manage talks on a member country's withdrawal, according to former chief of the Slovak diplomacy and currently Member of the European Parliament Eduard Kukan.

"We would be pioneers in this field," said Kukan.

A few weeks ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel also expressed support for Slovakia, saying she had no doubt Slovakia would master its agenda. Nevertheless, some doubts exist surrounding another important EU issue: the migration crisis.

The crucial question is whether the current opinion of the Slovak government, which rejects migrant quotas and has filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice concerning the matter, will influence Slovakia's presidency.

But Fico stressed that the majority of proposals coming from the European Commission had the full support of the Slovak government.

"It is one of the duties of the presiding country to create the widest possible scope for discussion and find compromise," said Fico, adding the main difficulty was regarding the reform of the Dublin Regulation, wherein the first EU member state an asylum seeker enters is responsible for asylum procedures.

"The Slovak government wants to be an honest mediator in the issue of migration," stressed Fico.

One of the consequences of the migration crisis last year was the reestablishment of border controls within the Schengen area, an issue Slovakia must also deal with.

The European Commission at the beginning of March became worried about the shortcomings in Greece's external border protection and so proposed reintroducing temporary border controls on selected internal borders. The plan now is to move back towards Schengen ideals.

"The 'Back to Schengen' program will be of utmost priority for Slovakia's presidency because the opposite has a negative impact, not only on the free movement of people, but potentially also on the EU economy, particularly in border regions," stressed Peter Javorcik, Slovak ambassador to the EU.

Besides migration and Back to Schengen program, there are three other key priorities of the Slovak presidency: an economically strong Europe, the modernization of the single market, and a globally committed Europe.

In terms of an economically strong Europe, the Slovak presidency will focus on creating a favorable environment for investments and job creation. This includes the deepening of the economic and monetary union and the union's capital markets.

As for the single market, Slovakia wants to put attention on a single digital market. Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said he envisions possible progress in the field of digitization and e-commerce.

"We want to focus on reducing barriers in data transfer as well as geo-blocking and international roaming. We want to establish the freedom of data movement," explained Lajcak.

Slovakia will also contribute to the creation of a reliable and competitive Energy Union by strengthening energy security, regional cooperation and solidarity. The vice president of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union, Slovakian Maros Sefcovic, aims to introduce a new design of the electricity market in the EU this autumn.

Slovakia also wants to strengthen the EU as a global player and complete the ratification process and preparations for signing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, as well as talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States.

The ability to cope with this hefty agenda is up to Slovakia to prove at the EU summit in Bratislava on Sept. 16.

"Undoubtedly, this summit will be the highlight of the Slovak presidency," said Fico, due to the fact it will be an informal meeting of the remaining 27 EU member countries during which they will discuss the future of the European project. Endit