BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovakia`s parliament on Wednesday began discussing the new government`s programme which contains pledges to lead the country into the European Union and NATO, privatise banks and stabilise the economy. It was unclear how long it would take to debate the programme but Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda has said he hopes to have a final vote on Thursday. The four-party coalition made up of neo-liberals, centrists and reformed communists came to power in September after defeating former Prime Minister Mečiar in a general election. The new government led by Dzurinda, a liberal Christian Democrat, has promised to remedy the shortcomings in Slovakia`s democratic system which under Meciar`s rule excluded the country from the group of frontrunners for EU and NATO membership. Dzurinda has said the government would encourage foreign investment, restructure and then privatise the country`s banks - possibly with the help of foreign capital - and revive the illiquid and depressed equity market. In presenting the government programme to parliament last week, 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.