President Tamás Sulyok received his Slovak counterpart to review priority areas aimed at strengthening partnership.Continue reading
Another important commitment towards constructive cooperation has arrived from Hungary’s Northern neighbor, Slovakia, during the meeting of EU Interior Ministers in Budapest over the weekend. Despite some ambiguity lower down the ranks, top representatives of the Slovak government are demonstrating consistency in forming a joint front with Hungary concerning the security of the Central European region.
After the official visit of President Peter Pellegrini, during which the Slovak head-of-state vowed to ignore calls to boycott Hungary’s EU presidency, another Slovak government official has distanced himself from Brussels’ declared “cordon sanitaire”. Matus Sutaj Estok, Slovakia’s interior minister had, in a social media post, confirmed that President Pellegrini’s stance on Hungary’s peace mission and EU presidency is indeed shared by the Slovak government.
In a statement he said that the Slovak government stands by the words of President Peter Pellegrini in which he stressed that
Slovakia will under no circumstances join the boycott of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU. Slovakia will not join initiatives sabotaging peace negotiations,
emphasized Minister Sutaj Estok.
“I am glad that we can today openly discuss with other colleagues the future and security of Europe”, he concluded his words.
His statement comes just as Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has decided to convene meetings of EU Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers in Brussels, accusing the Hungarian government of a lack of sincerity and loyalty. Some members of the European Parliament have openly called for isolating Hungary and blocking its initiatives during its period of EU presidency, in view of Prime Minister Orbán’s peace mission. During the past few weeks Viktor Orbán has met with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and China, and also visited Washington in an effort to kick-start a debate about a possible ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The European Union’s left-wing movements in general have criticized the Hungarian leader’s initiative as they advocate a complete victory for Ukraine on the battlefield before peace talks could commence. The Slovak government of Robert Fico, however, has accepted an open debate on the issue of a possible ceasefire and ending the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine through negotiations.
I have decided to convene informal meetings of EU Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers in Brussels, after the summer break.
At today’s #FAC, EU Member States overwhelmingly criticized Hungary’s lack of sincere and loyal cooperation.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) July 22, 2024
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