On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Juraj Blanár, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, praised the proactive approach of the Council of Slovak Exporters. He met with the council’s chairman, Lukáš Parízek. "One of the priorities of Slovakia's foreign policy is economic diplomacy and helping Slovak companies succeed in regions with great potential. Their success benefits the national economy, which is why we value our cooperation with representatives of Slovak exporters," said Blanár.
The foreign minister highlighted the activities of the Council of Slovak Exporters, particularly its role in organizing business missions and the annual Visegrad 4 Business conferences, which bring together hundreds of visitors and serve as a bridge between politics and economics. "Intensive economic ties between businesses in Central Europe contribute to strengthening the Visegrad Group. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to collaborate in preparing the fourth edition of the conference, which could take place on Slovak soil," he added.
The most recent Visegrad 4 Business event was held in Budapest in November 2024, with over 60 participants from Slovakia and approximately 400 attendees from V4 countries. The conference was opened by the foreign ministers of Slovakia, Juraj Blanár, and Hungary, Péter Szijjártó.
During the meeting with the chairman of the Council of Slovak Exporters, Blanár emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is supporting Slovak exporters worldwide through additional concrete measures. "Slovakia is an unquestionable member of the European Union, which remains the largest economy and single market. However, we recognize that opportunities in this area may become saturated, and we must focus more on regions outside the EU, as companies themselves are calling for," Blanár stressed. He explained that one of the ministry’s main priorities is to strengthen Slovakia's presence to support economic activities of Slovak companies in regions such as the Balkans, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and countries in the Global South, including Africa and South America. "Supporting Slovak exporters will pay off in the form of new job creation, higher economic growth, and an improved standard of living for Slovak citizens," he concluded.
In 2024, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs prepared a plan to restructure Slovakia’s network of diplomatic missions abroad to strengthen economic diplomacy. Slovakia is opening six new embassies in Algeria, Australia, Belgium, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Tanzania, as well as a liaison office in Ethiopia. Additionally, the number of full-fledged economic diplomats is being more than doubled from 17 to 43, with a focus on Southeast Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.
Source: TASR
