The donation of MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine will be on the agenda of Wednesday's Government session, as several ministers have confirmed this for TASR in advance.
"We'll definitely discuss it," said interim Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad. He reiterated that Slovakia should receive both material and financial compensation for the aircraft. He'll provide more information following the session.
Vice-premier Veronika Remisova (Za Ludia) stressed that the MiG-29s will no longer be useful in Slovakia. "It would be best for Slovakia if we donated the fighter jets to Ukraine," she said. She finds it important that their potential handover to Ukraine should be carried out in line with the Constitution. "The Justice Ministry's position will be important to me," she added.
According to interim Economy Minister Karel Hirman, the donation would concern equipment that would defend the territory of Ukraine, but indirectly Slovakia as well. "This isn't only about helping Ukraine to defend its territory, civilians, children, women and population. This is also about helping to defend Slovakia," he stressed.
Chief-of-General-Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces Daniel Zmeko came to the Government session as well.
Nad on Tuesday (March 14) said that he assumes the donation of the MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine would eventually be decided by the Government, stressing that he has a legal analysis ready. He believes that the Government has the power to do this.
In response to the statements by representatives of Poland that they can send jet fighters together with Slovakia within four-six weeks, he said that they are intensively talking about it. He repeated that his Polish counterpart confirmed Poland's readiness for a bilateral step in this area.
Back in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially asked Slovakia to supply its decommissioned MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine in order to bolster its defences against Russian aggression. Interim Prime Minister Eduard Heger said back then that Slovakia would do its utmost to accommodate the request.
This caused a conundrum in Slovakia, as politicians debated whether the ousted government enjoys the legitimacy necessary to make a decision on giving away the MiG-29s. (TASR)
