Slovakia and Serbia to Cooperate More Closely in Defence
Bratislava, December 5 (TASR) – Deepening cooperation in the field of defence and military equipment as well as launching new opportunities for cooperation in defence industry enterprises are the main goals of an intergovernmental agreement between Slovakia and Serbia that was signed by the defence ministers of the two countries in Bratislava on Monday.
Serbian Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic arrived for an official visit in Slovakia earlier in the day.
“We consider Serbia to be an important and exceptional partner for Slovakia regarding the Western Balkans region, and we expect that following the signature of the agreement our cooperation in the defence sector will be boosted,” said Slovak Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee).
According to Gajdos, the armed forces of both countries could cooperate in the training of units and medical staff as well as in preparing units that operate in peacekeeping missions.
Moreover, the Slovak defence minister stressed that Slovakia will continue to assist Serbia in its efforts to join the European Union as well as in developing cooperation within the NATO partnership programme.
Gajdos further praised good bilateral relations between the two countries in the UNFICYP mission in Cyprus, where members of the Serbian Armed Forces operate within the Slovak contingent. “Soldiers of the Slovak Armed Forces always appreciate cooperation with their Serbian colleagues,” he said.
Djordjevic confirmed his interest in deepening cooperation in the fields of education, training, military health care and the defence industry. “I believe that there is interest on both sides in making the opportunities for cooperation more specific,” he said, adding that regarding military exercises, the Serbian side is interested in joint exercises related to fighting the terrorism threat and illegal migration as well as exercises supporting cooperation between intelligence and security services.
