Slovakia to sign Cluster Munitions Convention

Slovakia will become a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), according to a decision made by the Government on Wednesday. This is yet to be approved by the Parliament and then by President Andrej Kiska. If signed, the agreement will come into effect for Slovakia as of January 2016. Under its terms, Slovakia will be banned to use, develop, produce, store and transfer to any other entity cluster munition. Slovakia will be further obliged to decommission its cluster munition within eight years, potentially extending this period to 16 years. The estimated costs on decommissioning will be €5.5 million between the years 2016-23. The international Convention on Cluster Munitions treaty, in effect since 2010, has been signed by a total of 116 countries - including some cluster munition producers and the ratification process has been completed by 89 countries. Slovakia has at its disposal almost 800 cluster bombs and rockets containing further submunition.