88 deputies in the 150-seat chamber voted for the programme and 50 against. There were no abstentions. Parliamentary debate on the programme, which had lasted for more than a
week, focused mainly on the government`s pledges to revitalise the economy and to put Slovakia back on track towards European Union and NATO membership. The country was excluded from talks on joining both last year due to democratic shortcomings. "This government`s programme should ensure member
ship of Slovakia in the EU and
NATO...and therefore the future for the country," Dzurinda told parliament before the final vote. Dzurinda, a liberal Christian Democrat, has
said the government will encourage foreign investment, restructure and then privatise banks - possibly with the help of foreign capital - and revive the illiquid and depressed equity market. In presenting the government programme to parliament, Dzurinda said he expected economic growth to slow from the current 6.1 percent in the first half of the government`s four-year term and then revive in the second two years.
