EURÓPA-UDVAR    NÁDVORIE EURÓPY     EUROPA PLATZ    EUROPE PLACE

President of the Hungarian Republic

Address

   It was a great pleasure and honour for me that I was invited by the Palatinus Civic Association to take part in the opening of the Europe Place on the occasion of my visit to Slovakia on 16th of December 2000.

   Both Hungary and the Slovak Republic are preparing for the historical task to be able to take over the place belonging to them in the integrating Europe, after they comply with the conditions of their accession to the European Union. Slovakia - but I allow myself to state that the whole region, too - received the useful assistance and a due place from the enthusiastic and self - sacrificing designers and builders of the Europe Place to represent the future united Europe.

   Those who dreamed and realised this unique project created the complex of buildings representing the stylistic elements of the european nations, a totally new and unique centre of the town. The houses at the same time represent the thousand years of the history of the town and the presence of Europe in this significant crossing over the Danube. The Europe Place also created the innumerable chances for the town, region and even for the whole country to fulfil the tasks of the integration as soon as possible.

   It is of particular pleasure for the president of Hungary, when he sees the historical heritage of the one thousand years old Hungarian state embodied in the numerous buildings, statues and decorative elements of the Europe Place in the year of the Hungarian Millennium. At the same time I consider as natural that the diversity of cultures is represented here, which has always been the determining characteristic for this region. The spirit of the Europe Place influenced me already at the opening, because the whole Europe is really together here, that is al-ready why I perceive the atmosphere as the pleasant one: I felt at home between its buildings.

   I respect and appreciate this result, by which the Hungarians living in Slovakia associated in the Palatinus Civic Association loyal to their homeland and their Hungarian identity, creating the worthy monument on the occasion of the anniversary of the two thousand years of Christianity and the Hungarian Millennium, enabled the social and cultural restoration of their town.

   I am convinced that these united efforts will lead to success and, similarly as the inscription signed on the former fortification system „Nec arte - nec marte“: „Neither by trick nor by strength“, the future will write on the Europe Place the inscription „Viribus unitis“ : „With united power“ as the acknowledgement of the fact that the nations living here were able in close cooperation to fulfil the historical tasks of the modernisation standing in front of them.

   I wish you to have the similar creativity, persistence and self - sacrificing partners to continue with your further audacious plans, as there is a lot of tasks to fulfil until this charming building complex is fulfilled with life, business and entertainment to our satisfaction.