AJRC_Analyses_2015A01 Ágnes Vass

EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES OF SLOVAK FOREIGN POLICY IN 2015

AGNES VASS

AJRC-Analyses 2015A01

AJRC-Analyses Series of the Antall József Knowledge Centre

Publisher: Antall József Knowledge Centre Publisher-in-Chief: Péter Antall Managing editor: Ádám Éva Editorial office: Antall József Knowledge Centre H-1093 Budapest, Közraktár utca 4-6.

Contact: H-1093 Budapest, Közraktár u. 4-6.

Tel: +36 1 482 7703 Email: ajtk@ajtk.hu Web: www.ajrcbudapest.org / www.ajtk.hu

© Agnes Vass, 2015 © Antall József Knowledge Centre, 2015 ISSN 2416-1705

2

EXPECTATIONS AND PRIORITIES OF SLOVAK FOREIGN POLICY IN 2015 Agnes Vass

The year of 2015 is going to be a period full of challenge for the V4 countries. Poland is moving into elections – both the results of presidential election in spring and the parliamentary elections in autumn might have effects on the whole region as well. Slovakia is also moving into a pre-election mood and the country will officially start the preparation to the forth-coming presidency of the European Council. The escalation of the crisis in Ukraine and the V4 countries’ different approaches towards Russia are also important issues which will determine both directly and indirectly the political and economic development of the region.

The Slovak Foreign Ministry accepted in its agenda, that Slovakia must be prepared for a prolonged period of instability not only from the perspective of security but also from the perspective of economic and political developments as well. To achieve more progress in foreign trade and deepen bilateral cooperation with China, the Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Shanghai and Peking in February this year. During his visit, Lajčák discussed the opportunities of more intensive cooperation between China and Slovakia in the field of industrial automation, robotics and high-tech. Shanghai, which is approximately as big as the whole Zilina region in Slovakia hosts about twenty Slovak companies nowadays. From Shanghai Lajčák traveled to Peking where he had a presentation at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences which is currently the biggest think tank in the country. During his visit Lajčák also represented the interest of V4 cooperation as well. This was discussed mainly with Liu Chen-khuo who is the Vice-President of the Chinese-Czechoslovak Friendship Farm. This farm was established as a result of agricultural cooperation of Czech, Slovak and Chinese investors and farmers in Hebei province. The farm now is one of the most important industrial center in the province. Today Slovak and Chinese investors are working together on the construction of a business zone and a recreation center, but a new joint winery was also launched as the establishment of Slovak wine business in China.1

1

Ministerstvo zahraničných vecí: Podpis memoradna o spolupraci s Farmou čínsko-česko-slovenskeho priateľstva na rok 2015. Source: http://www.foreign.gov.sk/servlet/content?MT=/App/WCM/main.nsf/vw_ByID/ID_EA7419BDE7ECAA99C1257 B4A002DA134_SK&OpenDocument=Y&LANG=SK&TG=BlankMaster&URL=/App/WCM/Aktualit.nsf/%28vw_ByI D%29/ID_6E97EF4A01DA44E1C1257E0600486003

3

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was participating on the Munich Security Conference which is the biggest of its type in the world.2 As Lajčák highlighted, the communication channels towards Russia have been closed and both the EU and the NATO are only communicating their own monologues. According to him we are hearing each other but not listening to each other which is a big difference.3 He repeated his statement that there is no military resolution to the Ukraine crisis but diplomatic and political tools are needed to be used. In the framework of the conference Lajčák also met with his Palestine colleague Rijad el Malkim, with Kofi Anan and he also had a bilateral meeting with the South-Korean delegation as well.

The speech delivered at the conference was followed by real steps as Lajčák announced the establishment of the Slovak-Ukrainian Business Forum which aim is to support cooperation between Slovak and Ukrainian companies. Slovak government also reinforced that is able to support Ukraine through humanitarian assistance but Bratislava rejected to supply any kind of weapons into the region. Slovakia sent material humanitarian aid to Ukraine in amount of approximately 900 000 EUR last year. In 2015 the country sent six lorries with material in amount of 700 000 EUR. The latter was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and involved mainly pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and clothes.4 Slovakia will also organize a Slovak-Ukrainian Business Forum in Kosice in April this year which aim is to support Slovak-Ukrainian economic relations and business cooperation.

In next few month Slovakia will also continue its efforts to ensure diversification of energy supplies and weaken the one-sided dependence on Russia raw material export. Despite the fact that Slovak-Russian relations have changed rapidly after the escalation of Ukrainian crisis and Slovakia is visibly changes its course on Russia, Bratislava takes attention not to harm openly the Russian interest in the region. Another challenge for the country will be the preparation for the Slovak presidency in the EC. The joint program of the Netherlands – Slovakia – Malta troika is focusing mainly on substantial issues affecting everyday lives of citizens of the EU. Despite the program will be published only at the end of this year the main priorities are known: stronger economies with more jobs, societies enabled to empower and protect, a secure energy and climate future, trusted are of fundamental freedoms and effective joint action in the world.5 The year of 2015 seems to be challenging, however, the most important question is, how Slovakia will be able to complete the diversification of its energy sector, contribute to the 2

Miroslav Lajčák: Ukrajina v Mnichove: Hmatateľná polarizacia a seria monologov. Source: http://lajcak.blog.sme.sk/c/374852/ukrajina-v-mnichove-hmatatelna-polarizacia-a-seria-monologov.html 3 Media Library of the Munich Security Conference: https://www.securityconference.de/en/medialibrary/?tx_tvmediacenter_mediacenter[year]=2015&cHash=4f25916ff8c740f761e9032c99dbdd5f 4 Nikto v EU nepomohol Ukrajine tak, ako Slovensko. TASR. Source: http://www.sme.sk/c/7659080/lajcaknikto-v-eu-nepomohol-ukrajine-tak-ako-slovensko.html 5 Ministerstvo zahraničných vecí: Program predsednickeho Tria by mal mať jasnú pridanú hodnotu. Source: http://www.foreign.gov.sk/servlet/content?MT=/App/WCM/main.nsf/vw_ByID/ID_EA7419BDE7ECAA99C1257 B4A002DA134_SK&OpenDocument=Y&LANG=SK&PAGE_NEWSVIEW-AKTUALNEPODLAOBDOBIAADMR97JAZ2=6&TG=BlankMaster&URL=/App/WCM/Aktualit.nsf/%28vw_ByID%29/ID_FC2F8B9D1217EA3AC1257DFF 00365575

4

stabilization of the region and also deepen the unity between the Visegrad countries. While the outcome is still far from certain, the MFA has settled down clearly those priorities which must be followed to achieve these goals.

5