Slovakia, one of the candidatecountries recommended for European Union membership in 2004, willhold a referendum in June on joining the union, Deputy PrimeMinister Pal Csaky said today.
The Slovakian government also plans to launch an intense pro-EUcampaign in an attempt to maintain popular backing for the country'sEU bid, Csaky said.
President Rudolf Schuster is also expected to join the campaignto win over public opinion, a spokesman for the president said.
The campaign comes as Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda'sgovernment, elected last month, prepares to introduce a series ofeconomic reforms, expected to be unpopular as they will lead to ahike in water, energy and transport costs.
"A raft of measures, to be put in place in the first semester of2003 could discourage Slovakian citizens," Csaky explained.
The seven parties represented in Slovakia's parliament have comeout in favour of the country's bid to join the EU.
Some 77 percent of Slovaks were in favour of joining the EU,with just 19 percent opposing the idea outright, according to a pollof more than 1,000 people carried out by the NOC institute earlierthis month.
AFP