Speech of the Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek at the construction of roads´ opening ceremony at the village of Okrouhlá given on Monday, 28th May 2007

I will not keep you long. We are here not because of speaking but because of construction of crossroads. Media often criticize politicians in case of participation in laying foundation stones or cutting the tapes. However, journalists are – exceptionally – mistaken.
Actions that somebody can regard as a cheap populism are basic duties of the government in fact – one of few it really has. The care for construction of roads the democratic cabinets inherited of king time's cabinets. And nothing essential has changed since then.
Apart from territory protection, administration of courts and care for security of citizens, construction of infrastructure is a principal duty of the state. The infrastructure is a public property and everybody profits by it. And participation of top representatives of the states is an advantage in this effort, not a handicap.
In this case it concerns just one crossroad, a crossroad that will help smoothness and safety of the traffic and also development of the region. But I do not take into consideration only this traffic construction. I take into consideration dilapidated infrastructure, which needs to be put in order.
We are building fewer roads and motorways than in advanced Europe. And moreover, we are building far more expensively. I want to use this opportunity, on the occasion of beginning of this concrete construction, to promise that one of priorities of my cabinet is to ensure more resources for the traffic – and in particular their more effective use.
Changes have been already started and they will continue under control of the Minister of Transport. Our task is to provide proper conditions for improvement of infrastructure, also through usage of European funds, in spite of the fact that our opportunities are far less than that of Spain in the time of its accession to the EU.
Your care is to build quickly and in high quality. I have learnt in my materials that it concerns construction of "1/9, 1/13 MUK Okrouhlá". What a nasty name it is. But I believe that the result will be nice. So, go ahead, gentlemen!