Exclusive interview with Juraj Blanar, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia

Exclusive interview with Juraj Blanar, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia

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Hello and welcome I’m Ramesh ramachandran and you’re watching a special broadcast here on DD India and with me is a very special guest Mr urai blanar the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic now my guest needs no introduction but just for the benefit of

Viewers tuning in from around the world minister blanner is the foreign minister since October 2023 he has been a member of the Slovak Parliament from 202 of which he has been the vice president since 2020 and he is also the vice president of the smar social democracy party Mr Minister welcome

Thank you very much for inviting me welcome Mr Minister now your country shares a border with Ukraine Slovakia brings up the Eastern flank of NATO the Ukraine Russia conflict turns three do you see a solution in sight at all you know this is a really complex uh issue because

Uh uh we could discuss a little bit deeply what was the reason why this started but nowadays we know that uh the Russia violated the international law definitely and this uh uh conflict with the Ukraine we think after two years uh lasting that there is no any military

Solution according to our opinion so that’s why from the beginning as we was as a opposition now we are ring ruling party uh we still uh keep in this uh attitude that there is no any uh military Solution that’s why we stop for example to deliver any weapons from the

Warehouses of our U Slovak forces but we of course uh support the Ukraine humanitarian Aid and also we support with no little equipment like de mining where we are quite skilled we produce this and so on so uh you ask me uh uh where is the end of this it’s very hard

To say but we think that the best for the conflict uh in Ukraine is to stop to start any negotiation any any ceasefire negotiation is better than uh to be in Conflict uh and to avoid any other uh uh death which is not the solution so that’s our opinion and we support this

Very much and we also encourage European Union because EUR European Union was based on the uh on the peace you know after the second world war and we think that European Union is uh doing just very small in this peacemaking process in Ukraine and we pay even more uh than

The Russians for this war even we are not responsible for this or you know inflation and sanction and so on has very strong impact to our economy and standard of the people Mr Minister prime minister fiso says that the only way to end the Ukraine Russia conflict is for

Ukraine to seed land to Russia but the question is what is in it for Ukraine and you think it will a compromise end the conflict no this is misunderstanding the Prime Minister FZ doesn’t mean that uh this is going to be the final solution only what he said was

That probably this is going to be a big problem for the Ukraine because the conflict started and they could come to the agreement from the beginning of the conflict which was managed by the prime minister of Israel uh Mr Bennett probably you might know this and that’s

Why he just commented this we uh support the Ukraine as a democratic uh peaceful country fully within the integrate uh and uh uh accepted International borders you know so this is what what we used to say all the time to complay international law this is the most important things

Because what was happened was violation of international law that’s why and the solution probably was uh uh the Minsk uh treaty this could be one of these uh solution to come back to this dialogue uh together but it’s very hard to say what could Ukraine do and what about the

Russian wants to do as well so only what we are calling for as a small country and member of the European for the ceasefire and for peacemaking process and uh this could be the the solution for this conflict and also Mr Minister talking about Ukraine why is Slovakia

Not in favor of Ukraine joining NATO this is a good question as well because you can argue also that in 2009 in Bucharest Summit of NATO we agreed that in the certain time probably Ukraine could be a member of NATO together with Georgia and so on but the

Situation has changed since since that time you know and we have to take it into the consideration the present situation and this situation is completely different and we think that once the Ukraine is the member of the NATO this is the something which could start probably some bigger conflict than today

That’s why we are against so far but it’s not a let’s say issue nowadays only what is the issue is the membership of Ukraine uh to European Union which we fully support this perspective for the Europe is I think the good perspectives but it’s a long and P painful way for

The Ukraine to be a member of European Union Mr Minister Slovak Republic is a member of NATO and yet it enjoys a friendly relationship with Russia how do you explain that you know what what do you mean the friendly relation with Russia because we given to understand

That if you look at the countries in the European Union perhaps and correct me if I’m wrong the Slovak Republic and Hungary are an exception both of your countries have better ties with Russia than others is that a fair assumption to me no no no no please uh I give you my

View because uh if we are completely U uh how how you say if you are using the fuel gas and the nuclear fuel from one country would you be uh not the friend country because you have a contract which is very important for your industry for your living standard

Economy and so on so that’s why we have normal traditional um partnership with Russia because of this and also we appreciate the history when the the Slovakia was deliberated by the uh by the Red Army you know and this is something which we have to appreciate as

Well you know that’s why uh uh we are calling for any kind of dialogue with the Russia for a future because we don’t want to have another iron cuton between the Russia and European Union of course it will be very painful uh way to to get

It but anyway this is only way uh for the European Union and uh the future peace and future cooperation with the Russia and other countries and also what we used to say and we put it into the governmental Manifesto is that we are the member of European Union of course

We are the member of NATO we are member of United Nation oecd and so on and so on but that doesn’t mean that we cannot do any other policy on all direction of the globe and that’s what we want to do to do uh the policy like the policy to

Be in touch with your country because we feel we see a big potential for our cooperation why not indeed and talking a bit more about NATO Mr Minister Slovak Republic as you mentioned is a NATO member but why is it opposed to foreign forces or US forces on its soil any

Particular reason you oppose it yeah probably you think you are talking about the defense treaty between the US and Slovakia you know there is some history we used to be under the Soviet blocks and we used to be occupied uh since uh 1968 you probably you might know the pra

Spring and Mr dup and so on and this is our experience we have deeply inside you know and this occupation is something which is not very nice if you have uh the Army on your uh ground and this Army has extraordinary uh conditions in contrast to other partners of NATO why the the

Soldiers or troops from the France from the the Germany uh don’t have the same uh condition like the US that’s what we were calling during the signing this agreement so DCA was uh some which was uh not good uh uh managed by the former government and we want to at least to

Make some amendments which are closer to amendments like in chch Republic or Hungarian to change some rules like for or articles like in judgment and so on and so on there is nothing against the Russ US Army that’s only uh we are just saying that this is something which is

Uh which is not necessary for our cooperation within the NATO and one quick followup question Mr Minister does prime minister fitso plan to meet with uh say the president of Russia and or Ukraine in the near future why not but so is it on the table that he’s

Considering it not yet but uh we already met uh prime minister uh of Ukraine in uaro together with me and Ministry of defense and there was also our come counterparts because we think that the results are important we don’t want to show off and whatever the result is very

Important for us to to cooperate and to support the Ukraine as I explained before by humanitarian Aid by nonlethal equipment like uh uh like B de mining equipment and also to talk about what we can do with the uh electricity connection and what we are going to do

Uh in the future with the gas pipelines because the the gas from the Russia is going through the Ukraine to Slovak Republic and those very important issues are very uh important for Slovakia and also for Ukraine how we can help them you know that’s why we agreed that we

Organized another meeting together with the prime minister of Ukraine and uh our government in Slovakia close to to the Border as well to elaborate those uh very practical issues of course if there will be some occasion to meet Mr zalinski there is no problem prime minister Mr and Mr Putin you know there

This is not on the table why to speak or to talk about something which is on the table let me turn your attention to another conflict in another part of the world Mr Minister and that is West Asia Middle East as you would call it what do you make of the situation obtaining

Within Israel and the Hamas in Raza do you support a ceasefire definitely definitely we support ceasefire as soon as possible because the huge humanitarian crisis what is going on in this region is something which is unacceptable you know we uh condemn uh this terrorist attack of uh Hamas to the

Civilians Israel civilians more than 1,200 people uh victims uh which is uh unacceptable and we also accept that Israel has a power to uh to selfdefense themselves you know but in compliance with the international humanitarian law can you imagine that there are something like more than 28,000 casualties a civilian casualty on Gaza

On Palestinians and 70% is uh the woman and uh kids many uh humanitarian workers died many even journalists died at that time so this is something we cannot accept that’s why we support fully any peace fire process and we are against any action of U of Israel uh Army to the

Rafa because the uh density of this population is so high you can avoid any casualties once you are um present any military action so ceasefire is only solution but also you can ask what uh will be in the future but what about how do you look at us vetoing

Un Security Council resolution over and over and over again you know I don’t want to commment too much uh the us because uh there support Israel but they want also to uh to be in compliance with the humanit international humanitarian law of course they had some they had some explanation

Of this because uh on behind is some negotiation peace negotiation and they thought that this could be some Interruption of this discussion very important discussion but but anyway I think everyone in the world who see what is happening in this region is in favor of any uh ceasefire solution definitely

And you think a two-state solution is viable that’s what I wanted to explain at the end of course we have to think about the future and the future should be uh in two-state solution okay but two State solution is very hard because uh uh the Israel is is refusing this to

State solution because of many uh reasons like settlements and so on and so on but I think we have to solve this problem otherwise uh this region will be still unstable still unstable and shifting focus with the Indo Pacific now Mr Minister how do you with the

Situation in the Indo Pacific how would you describe uh your ties with China and Taiwan you know I will official foreign policies that we uh fully respect the China uh policy one country two systems this is something which is agreed through all the politic party in within

The country so that’s why we keep this in our foreign policy regarding of China and we have of course U some relation unofficial relation with the Taiwan uh business uh culture education but we still respect this official policy uh which says that one China two systems all right let me now spend the

Next few minutes talking about Slovakia India relations Mr Minister let me start by asking about your visit to India who all have you met so far and how did those talks go this is my first mission in India I have never ever been in in

India so I’m very glad that I have this opportunity to participate on RIS and also CIA European business uh sustainable conclave and also any other meetings uh uh with the Federation of industrial chamber and so on also I brought uh with me uh the biggest uh uh delegation Slovak delegation business delegation

With two 22 uh businessmen who are doing business already and some of them wants to do the business in India and also I had some bilateral meetings with the secretary of uh of Defense uh and Secretary of uh defense production and also with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or exterior Affairs like you

Have in your country it was very fruitful discussion because onethird of our delegation uh is the businessman’s uh regarding of uh defense Slovakia has a good history with India in a defense uh production not only within the 30 years of being an independent country but also during the ex Czechoslovakia we used to

Produce the tanks for India we used to produce many things and there should be uh uh refurbish there should be uh service and so on those company are continuing this business and there are new companies in this who wants to uh do the business with uh

Your country of course uh uh in favor of you’re saying make in India so we fully respect this condition and we want to uh emphasize this cooperation but also there are any other companies like biofuels cyber uh protections uh companies and also uh uh the companies regarding methodology they are very famous here

For 20 years doing the business so this is something which is very promising and I had a very good emotion from the meetings I have had already also the meetings which is ongoing right now in our ambassad ambass ambassad here in Delhi is B2B negotiation Mr Minister how

Has a perception of India in the Slovak Republic changed over the years how would you describe or characterize bilateral ties as they exist today and looking to the Future as well we have uh very fruitful and very um friendly cooperation and relationship since uh the Slovakia became independent country and we don’t

Have uh any open issue only what we want to do to emphasize our cooperation and also to uh cooperate on the multilateral level which is very important and India is going to be one of the very uh distinguished uh player in this matter because you have met a very great

Achievement during the G20 to bring the African Union to the table was a wonderful achievement my congratulation and any other like in Moon uh moon what it’s called moon landing Mission yeah and so on and so on so uh and other initiatives like uh imch it’s India Middle East European Corridor

Which public interested in yeah definitely because it’s about the business right and that’s why we have to talk about the uh security and World Security on the multilateral level regarding for example the Red Sea attacks and so on this is the corridor we are talking about so I I think that

This cooperation is uh in a very good shape um look within the two years there were four meeting of foreign ministers which is on the higher level and this is something we can use as the foundation for the future cooperation and that was a result also very very nice meeting

With uh uh Minister Chun CH are I have uh done before so are you looking forward to a higher level visit between the two prime ministers in the near fut why not why not because uh there are many initiatives regarding of uh of uh for example uh join economic meetings uh uh

And uh we want to establish some M so memorandum of understanding we sign signed one uh uh today with the U Bureau of Indian Standard and our counterpart in Slovakia uh we want to continue with this uh um mission of uh economical uh um how it’s called committee so there

Are many and Broad uh challenges uh we face and we can put on the table for a final meeting of our Prime Ministers uh which could be fruitful for the future cooperation Mr Minister I’m approaching the end of my time so just a few more questions so that our viewers get to

Know you better if I were to ask you do you have a hobby Mr Minister a past time maybe how do you like to spend your leisure time you know uh I the Sportsman I used to do the light athletic at the time I am the champion of EX

Czechoslovakia and Slovakia I run and high jump and relay but also I played football of course football is very famous in Slovakia but nowadays uh as hiking it’s my pleasure to do when I have a time and also uh my pleasure is uh to ride a bike motor bike this is

Another part of my and I’m told that you know you your other interests are endurance race and rally competitions do you still find time to you have a Goods you have good information yeah I used to do also the rally competition but uh we finished with my brothers in

1995 but it was very nice uh period of of our driving uh experience really all right on that not Mr Minister may I thank you so much for joining us and sharing your thoughts and Views with our viewers at home and abroad thank you for your time thank you very much uh for

This uh discussion and for for your people people who are watching this uh Slovakia a little bit thank you once again thank you thank you and with let us a wrap on this special broadcast but news continues here on DD India you can catch all the latest updates on our

Social media mobile and digital platforms thanks for watching Bye-bye