14.10.2024.
Meeting between Serbian, Slovak defence ministers
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić met today with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Robert Kaliňák, at the Banjica 2 Barracks in Belgrade.
After the national anthems were played and the welcoming ceremony was held in the presence of the Serbian Armed Forces’ honour guard, the two delegations held discussions.Today's meeting discussed the political and security situation in the region and around the world, as well as opportunities for strengthening defence cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Slovak Republic.
According to Minister Gašić, keeping a regular and intensive high-level political dialogue between the two countries further contributes to the development of overall bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The Minister of Defence expressed his gratitude to Slovakia for remaining firm in its stance of not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo. According to him, regional stability is of strategic importance for Serbia. He emphasized our commitment to peaceful resolution of all issues through dialogue with Priština, with the aim of securing a better life for all Kosovo and Metohija residents, while protecting our sovereignty and territorial integrity and strictly adhering to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.Speaking about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Minister Gašić said that “a series of unilateral moves by the provisional institutions of self-government in Priština, followed by an increase in the number of ethnically motivated attacks on the Serbian population, has caused great concern and hindered the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština”.
He also expressed his gratitude for Slovakia's strong support for our country’s European integration.Minister Gašić said that the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces were determined to strengthen defence cooperation, particularly in the field of military education, as well as to intensify the military-to-military and improve the military technical cooperation. According to him, there are many possibilities for the two countries to improve overall bilateral military technical and military economic cooperation to the mutual interest of both sides.
Minister Kaliňák expressed his satisfaction with today’s meeting and said that Serbia’s and Slovakia’s commitment to further strengthening their respective armed forces offered a platform for intensifying cooperation in different areas of mutual interest. According to him, investing in the development of both countries’ defence capabilities opens up objective possibilities for strengthening cooperation and carrying out joint development projects. He said that Slovakia remains firm in its stance regarding the preservation of Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. After the meeting, Lazar-3 and Miloš 4x4 armoured fighting vehicles were presented to Minister Kaliňák.
