The digitization of society and its influences was the main theme of a two-day summit of the V4 Presidents in Szekszárd, Hungary on Saturday. Andrej Kiska cautioned against the spread of extremism through social networks.

“We are seeing the rise of extremism in Europe. We are seeing it much of it in Slovakia. Extremism is spreading very successfully and very aggressive, just through social networks. In Slovakia, up to 30 percent of young people, due to the various hoaxes spreading through social networks, and thanks to half-truths, are considering voting for extremism. “This is alarming for the state of our society,” said Kiska.

At a joint Saturday conference with Czech President Miloš Zeman, Hungarian President János Áder and Polish President Andrzej Duda, the president noted that on social networks the hate speeches against people of other colors and other religions have been appearing.

He recalled that during a visit to the US, he warned Facebook representatives that, on the basis of the impetuses they have been receiving, they should work more actively on erasing and blocking hate speeches, banning groups created on Facebook only to spread hatred.

The second impact of social networks and all digitization is, in his words, on new technologies and new forms of entrepreneurship As an example, he mentioned the alternative Uber taxi service and the Airbnb accommodation platform. 

“We must jointly think about new technologies in order to move society forward, but on the other hand, we need to create clear regulations and rules. It is the EC itself that should be the platform for these regulations and rules to prevent individual states from introducing their own regulation,” Kiska said.

On the question of integrating Western Balkan countries, the head of the state noted that the presidents agreed that these countries should be given a clear prospect and to set out clear rules on how to obtain membership in the European Union. 

“The EU itself was founded on the principle of economic cooperation, in order to reduce various conflicts. It is working fantastically and that’s exactly what we need in the Western Balkans,” he stressed.

On the theme of the circulur economy, which the presidents discussed on Friday, Kiska added that he considered working with young people to be extremely important.

“I reminded my colleagues that just yesterday the Bratislava Summit on the different quality of food for our countries took place. I’m convinced that our countries cannot be discriminated against, and it is precisely the EC’s role to ensure that every EU citizen is treated as equal,” the president concluded.