Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) departed on Sunday for a working visit to Thailand and Australia aimed at strengthening political ties, promoting Slovak exports and expanding cooperation in trade, investment and technology.
The trip marks the first visit by a Slovak foreign minister to Australia in 11 years. Blanár will also attend the reopening of the Slovak Embassy in Canberra. Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, an SNS nominee, is accompanying him on the Australian leg of the visit.
Ahead of his departure, Blanár described Thailand as one of the largest consumer markets in Southeast Asia. Slovakia is set to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in November this year, he said. Slovakia also supports negotiations on a free trade agreement between Thailand and the European Union.
Blanár’s itinerary includes the opening of the first Slovak-Thai Business Forum in Bangkok, which is expected to bring together more than 20 representatives of Slovak companies.
Source: TASR
