Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák meets his Czech counterpart Jana Černochová in Prague
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- Date: 01.12.2023
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák held his first bilateral meeting with his Czech counterpart Jana Černochová at the Czech Defence Ministry in Prague on Thursday 30 November 2023. In that meeting, a presentation of the new SVK Government's defence and security priorities was the main theme of their conversation. The two Ministers also examined ways to deepen SVK-CZE cooperation in armaments programmes and between defence industries, as well as discussing multilateral coordination of action within the V4, the EU and NATO.
Minister Kaliňák informed Minister Černochová that the SVK Government plans to shore up Slovakia's defences by modernising the Armed Forces and defence infrastructure, stepping up the Armed Forces' operational readiness, enhancing Force Protection (FP) measures, and restoring the national Air Policing (AP) capability. The latter has been paralysed due to the previous government's steps in recent years.
Speaking about capabilities development at a press conference at the CZE MOD, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák said: “It is inevitable that we manage to renew all our capabilities, this applies equally to technical equipment and ammunition as to other areas that need to be developed significantly.”
Reaffirming the SVK-CZE special relationship, Mr Kaliňák assured Ms Černochová that the SVK MOD has made it a priority to continue its close defence cooperation with the Czech Republic. He pointed to the possible new avenues of cooperation between the two nations' defence industries, with the aim of encouraging growth tendencies on both sides. To that end, joint action to procure military equipment and closer defence industrial collaboration on the nations' equipment programmes are being offered up for consideration.
Praising the substantial contribution the Czech Republic has been making as the Framework Nation (FN) to the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Slovakia, Mr Kaliňák said: “I want to thank Czechia for its leadership of the NATO multinational task force stationed at the Lešť Training Centre. Although Spain is due to take over leadership of the Battlegroup next year, our cooperation will remain very strong, even in this field.”
The defence partners also addressed Slovakia's assistance to Ukraine. On this note, Minister Kaliňák explained the new SVK Government's approach to delivering support to the country. This consists in ceasing military supplies from the Slovak Armed Forces' own military stocks, while at the same time exploring other practical aid options such as demining, refurbishment of obsolete munitions, and humanitarian and civilian relief.
Minister Kaliňák informed Minister Černochová that the SVK Government plans to shore up Slovakia's defences by modernising the Armed Forces and defence infrastructure, stepping up the Armed Forces' operational readiness, enhancing Force Protection (FP) measures, and restoring the national Air Policing (AP) capability. The latter has been paralysed due to the previous government's steps in recent years.
Speaking about capabilities development at a press conference at the CZE MOD, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák said: “It is inevitable that we manage to renew all our capabilities, this applies equally to technical equipment and ammunition as to other areas that need to be developed significantly.”
Reaffirming the SVK-CZE special relationship, Mr Kaliňák assured Ms Černochová that the SVK MOD has made it a priority to continue its close defence cooperation with the Czech Republic. He pointed to the possible new avenues of cooperation between the two nations' defence industries, with the aim of encouraging growth tendencies on both sides. To that end, joint action to procure military equipment and closer defence industrial collaboration on the nations' equipment programmes are being offered up for consideration.
Praising the substantial contribution the Czech Republic has been making as the Framework Nation (FN) to the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Slovakia, Mr Kaliňák said: “I want to thank Czechia for its leadership of the NATO multinational task force stationed at the Lešť Training Centre. Although Spain is due to take over leadership of the Battlegroup next year, our cooperation will remain very strong, even in this field.”
The defence partners also addressed Slovakia's assistance to Ukraine. On this note, Minister Kaliňák explained the new SVK Government's approach to delivering support to the country. This consists in ceasing military supplies from the Slovak Armed Forces' own military stocks, while at the same time exploring other practical aid options such as demining, refurbishment of obsolete munitions, and humanitarian and civilian relief.
