Slovak Deputy Finance Minister Dana Meager signed a memorandum on mutual understanding in the sphere of customs with representatives of China during the weekend. Meager took part at the summit of 16 central and eastern European countries with China in Riga, Latvia. "Infrastructure is not enough. We also need a legislative base, and customs rules which allow for a quick exchange and ensure that goods meet security standards," said Meager.
Additionally this weekend, the Chinese prime minister cancelled a meeting with the Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, which was supposed to take place before the summit. Fico refused to answer journalists' questions asking whether the bilateral meeting with Chinese representatives was cancelled in reaction to the recent meeting of Slovak President Andrej Kiska with the Dalai Lama, whom China considers to be separatist.
"I can say, that in spite of the fact that the meeting with China did not take place today, we found our way to each other and I personally invited the Chinese prime minister to visit Slovakia. At the same time, the cancellation indicates that there is a problem which was caused by something,"
Said the prime minister. However, in October, regarding the President's meeting with the Dalai Lama, Fico stated that "what Kiska did unambiguously harmed Slovak-Chinese relations." The prime minister made this statement in reaction to Kiska openly and directly criticising Fico for his foreign policy and for the alleged corruption within his cabinet. Since the president's criticism, Fico has stated that he refuses to go into conflict with Kiska.
