 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Minister Korčok: Germany is Our Strategic Partner |
| Bratislava, 25.08.2020 |
|
| On Friday (21 August 2020) at the invitation of Ivan Korčok, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava was visited by the head of German diplomacy Heiko Maas. “I’m pleased that I can welcome at the Diplomacy Ministry my colleague from Germany, who is in Slovakia for the first time since assuming office. Therefore, I appreciate even more that this is an independent visit to Slovakia, and this during the important period of the German Presidency in the European Council and a week before the session of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers to be held in Berlin next week,” stated the chief Slovak diplomat.
Minister Korčok highlighted that Germany is the biggest economic partner for Slovakia and the 5th most important investor, since more than 450 German companies in our country employ approximately 140 thousand workers. “However, this is also true in the other direction since 23 percent, that is almost one fourth, of our exports heads to Germany,” said Minister Korčok, who added that we consider Germany to be an important strategic and political partner as well as a European leader and ally.
Both representatives delved into bilateral, European and international topics during the talks. “At the bilateral level I appreciate the Enhanced Dialogue between our countries, especially the cooperation between the ministries of diplomacy and defence. I want to continue with the cooperation that has been started and extend it to other ministries as well. I see a great scope for cooperation in the areas in which Germany is the leader, especially in digitalization, in new technologies, and in the environment, also in the context of the recovery plans for Europe,” stated Minister Korčok.
The German Presidency of the Council of the EU dominated the discussions about European topics. “We have great expectations from the German Presidency; we expect new impetuses and a revival of European topics including the preparations of the Conference on the Future of Europe, progress in the Green Deal, as well as in relation to the unfinished reform of the migration and asylum system. I also consider the adoption of the individual recovery plans of the EU member countries in Brussels to be of extreme importance so that they can draw on the money made available from the Recovery Fund and the EU budget,” stated the head of Slovak diplomacy. As he said, Slovakia also considers to be of special importance the rule of law and the finalization of the linking of compliance with the rule of law and the drawing on European resources. “In Slovakia we consider the rule of law to be an absolutely key prerequisite for the health of democracy. Moreover, we do not consider this topic to be taboo in the EU. We promote a clear, transparent and EU-wide set-up with the same parameters and conditions for such a European measure,” he stressed.
Among international issues, it was the developments in Belarus that were dominant during the discussion. “In this case we have a very clear position based on three pillars – the cessation of violence without undue delay, the non-recognition of the results of the elections, solidarity with the Belarus people and targeted sanctions,” stated Korčok.
The visit was held on the symbolic date – 21 August – when Slovakia commemorates the victims of the fight for freedom. The ministers paid their respects together by laying wreaths at the memorial plaque, commemorating the victims of 21 August 1968, that is on the building of Comenius University. In this way they showed the significance that the Slovak Republic attaches to this idea and common values with the emphasis on human rights, freedom and democracy. odkaz na stránku |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Address : Euro-Brew Ltd., Hlboká 22, 917 01 Trnava, Slovakia
Tel. : +421 33 53 418 53, Fax : +421 33 53 418 52, E-mail : info@eurobrew.sk |
|
|
