European Churches" "
After Malta, Slovenia, Hungary and Lithuania, another country has voted “yes” to membership of the European Union Slovakia. In the referendum of 16-17 May 92.46% of the voters voted in favour of entry into the EU. But the overwhelming victory of the ‘yes’ vote was offset by a low voter turnout. Only 52.15% of the electorate bothered to vote, jeopardising the achievement of the necessary quorum, which was only passed by a whisker. “The overwhelming victory was expected commented the general secretary of the Slovak Episcopal Conference, Msgr. Marian Chovanec even though we expected a higher voter turnout. We in the Church had already supported Slovakia’s entry into the EU in September 2002, but with a very precise condition, namely the confirmation of the Christian values that represent the roots of our continent. This is a concern we share with the Polish bishops”. But the contribution of the Slovak Church to the construction of Europe does not stop there. “There are two values we will seek to promote inside Europe: a heartfelt participation in the sacraments, in particular the Eucharist and Reconciliation, to give a meaning to our life and that of our family. In Slovakia there are many young people who still believe in the regular family. The idea of the family must not be lost, but reinforced through serious and far-sighted policies”.
