Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) left for a working visit to Austria on Monday (14 September) to address the 70th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the UN headquarters in Vienna.
The conference, taking place from September 14 to 18, will include elections to the IAEA Board of Governors for the 2026–2028 term. Slovakia’s delegation, approved by the government in August, will use the occasion to discuss the country’s candidacy for the IAEA Board of Governors, as well as its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028–2029.
Slovakia is currently the only candidate from the Eastern European regional group for one of the 35 seats on the IAEA’s governing body.
"Slovakia is a responsible and reliable partner with many years of experience and a developed civilian nuclear programme. Nuclear energy is a key foundation of our energy security and its peaceful use remains our priority,” Blanár declared. As he added, Slovakia is ready to assume greater international responsibility, contribute to the effective functioning of international organisations and share our expertise with other countries.
As part of his working visit, Blanár is also scheduled to hold talks with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Monica Kathina Juma, Director General of the UN Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
Source: TASR
