No to NATO bases in Slovakia

Unlike other NATO-member states in central and Eastern Europe Slovakia isn't keen to see NATO bases set up on its territory, the Pravda daily reports. "We're aware of and respect the fact that some NATO countries are requesting bases on their own territory. Slovakia isn't asking for bases on its territory. We're working on the setting up of small contact teams whose main role would be to coordinate national defence plans with those of the Alliance", said Juraj Tomaga from the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry's press department. This issue should be discussed at a summit for NATO's eastern members which is due to take place in Bucharest in November. Slovakia's Prime Minister famously compared the potential presence of NATO units in Slovakia to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Meanwhile, Slovak President Andrej Kiska at a NATO summit in Wales last year proposed the building of a logistics base in Poprad (Prešov region), which led to opposition among local residents. NATO hasn't reacted to the proposal, however. This issue should be discussed at a summit for NATO's eastern members which is due to take place in Bucharest in November.