Lajcak: German Election to Conclude Series of Important Elections

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) – The German general election due in September will top off a series of important elections, Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak said to open a consultation with Slovak ambassadors in Bratislava on Thursday.

“There was an election in France, then a Dutch election, and the [German] election is the last one in a country that, in a way, sets the pace. We’ll find out who our partners are and we’ll be able to focus on European topics. We expect processes that couldn’t previously be spoken about to gather momentum; I mean defining the future core of a multi-speed Europe, enhancing cooperation in European security and so on,” said Lajcak.

The two-day consultation with ambassadors accredited to fellow EU countries and European Free Trade Association states is centred on Brexit negotiations, the future of the EU, energy, security and the work of Slovak embassies. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) will also attend the meeting.

“The meeting will feature a guest appearance by Ireland’s new Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who has only been in office since June 16, and his visit to Slovakia is one of his first in all,” said Lajcak.

He added that he’s invited Coveney to attend the meeting in light of the importance of Ireland’s stance on Brexit.

In general, the meeting is aimed at giving the ambassadors first-hand information about Slovakia’s positions. “It’s also designed to allow an exchange of views maintained by the countries in which they operate concerning topics such as the future of the EU, its future core, the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and a host of other topics,” said the minister.