Gov't interested in maintaining Slovakia's foreign-policy orientation

The new caretaker Slovak government is interested in maintaining continuity in Slovakia's foreign-policy orientation, said caretaker PM Ľudovíť Ódor after meeting new Foreign Minister Miroslav Wlachovský on Thursday. The cabinet wants to manage the Foreign Affairs Ministry via diplomats, not politicians. Ódor stressed that Slovakia wants to be a valid and contributing member of both the EU and NATO. "We will honour all agreements signed by the Slovak Republic and at the same time meet all our commitments," he claimed.

Wlachovský reiterated that Slovakia's foreign policy will be clear, predictable and value-based. "I'm counting on the fact that while this government's term lasts, we'll put in a professional performance in defending Slovakia's interests and what matters to us on the international scene," said the minister.

According to Wlachovský, Slovakia's position on the war in Ukraine will remain unchanged. "Our stance is clear, we want a just peace that punishes the culprit and compensates the victim. We will continue to support Ukraine as we have done so far because it is in the interests of Slovakia and its people," he added.

The new minister added that he considers strategic communication and the fight against disinformation to be other important matters to address. Besides the aforementioned goals, Wlachovský claimed that he wants to maintain the best possible relations with Slovakia's neighbours. In this vein, he noted that he held a series of phone calls with his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Austria and Poland on Wednesday. Moreover, he revealed that he is set to visit Prague on Friday and Warsaw next week.

As for Ódor, the premier said that his first foreign visit would probably be to Germany.

Source: TASR