At a joint session in Poprad on Wednesday, members of the Slovak and Polish Cabinets debated the joint candidacy to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Poland and Slovakia. They also touched on infrastructure between the two countries. “In spite of interest in a strategic partnership, Poland and Slovakia lack appropriate transport infrastructure that would highlight this strategic partnership,” stated Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after the meeting.
Transport ministries have been commissioned to table a financial framework and a timeline to secure an appropriate transport connection. The plan should work with roads, railways and aviation. Polish premier Donald Tusk said there were no problems between the two countries but the reputation of Polish food in Slovakia needed to be improved. Low-quality imported food represents a long-standing problem in Slovakia. Although this food was not only from Poland, it was Polish food products that made it into the headlines, particularly for the recent cases of Polish sweets made from dried milk containing rat poison or food containing road salt. Slovakia has no interest in holding a hostile campaign against Polish grocery products, claims the Slovak Prime Minister Fico. The heads of governments also talked about the North-South gas connection. “We expect that an agreement on construction of such interconnection could be signed in June 2013. We also want to communicate with Poland in other fields of energy,” stated Slovak PM Robert Fico. Slovakia is offering its rich nuclear energy experience to Poland as it currently generates 51% of electric energy at nuclear installations. The Polish PM Donald Tusk is convinced that Poland and Slovakia will serve as a good example for energy connection in Europe.
Katarína Richterová
