Top constitutional officials reaffirm declaration of Slovak foreign policy

Three top constitutional officials - new President Zuzana Čaputová, Parliamentary Chair Andrej Danko and Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini - re-affirmed the 2017 Joint Declaration of Constitutional Officials on the Priorities of Slovakia's EU and NATO Memberships by signing the joint declaration at the Bratislava Castle on Thursday. The original document dated from October 2017 was inked by then president Andrej Kiska, Parliamentary Chair Andrej Danko and then Prime Minister Robert Fico. The three top officials pledged to clearly and responsibly communicate the pro-European and pro-Atlantic orientation of Slovakia both abroad and to Slovak citizens. The declaration also made it clear that the constitutional officials support Slovakia's striving to join the EU core and promote increasing integration within the eurozone, principles of equal treatment on the internal market and non-discrimination. Another item embraced was the full compliance with NATO membership commitments, such as having defence spending equal 1.6 percent of GDP by 2020. Zuzana Čaputová mentioned that she would like the declaration to be updated at her initial meetings with Danko and Pellegrini, which took place on June 18.