Vienna Receives Slovakian President: Deepening Relations and Discussion on Sanctions

PeoplePoliticians ♦ Published: September 11, 2024; 21:33 ♦ (Vindobona)

Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini visited Austria as part of his official inaugural visit. It was his fourth bilateral trip to one of Slovakia's neighboring countries, having previously visited the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary.

Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen (r.) received the new Slovakian President, Peter Pellegrini (l.). / Picture: © Österreichische Präsidentschaftskanzlei / Peter Lechner/HBF

In Vienna, Pellegrini met his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen to discuss the close cooperation between the two countries. The two heads of state paid particular attention to the topics of cross-border cooperation, infrastructure projects, and current European policy.

Slovakian rule of law is the focus of the EU Commission

One of the most pressing topics of the meeting was the tense situation in Slovakia concerning the rule of law. Media reports, including the “Financial Times”, had previously speculated that the EU Commission was considering sanctions against Slovakia. The reason for this is alleged regression in the rule of law, in particular the abolition of the anti-corruption prosecutor's office under the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico. This authority was responsible for monitoring the use of EU funds and its abolition has raised concerns in Brussels about possible corruption.

However, Pellegrini clarified that the Slovakian government is working to address these concerns and pointed out that other EU countries do not have a special anti-corruption prosecutor's office either. The “normal” public prosecutor's office could take on these tasks and work was being done to convince Brussels that the EU's financial interests were sufficiently protected in Slovakia. Van der Bellen was “cautiously optimistic” that Slovakia and the EU Commission would find a solution to prevent sanction proceedings. Pellegrini also reiterated that they were cooperating with Brussels to avoid the proceedings-

International topics: Ukraine and the Middle East in focus

In addition to bilateral relations, international issues were also discussed, including the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. Pellegrini pointed out that the Slovakian population was concerned about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Although Slovakia used to be considered one of the biggest supporters of Ukraine, the government under Pellegrini stopped arms deliveries to the country after he took office. This caused tensions within the EU, as many member states continue to support Ukraine in the war against Russia.

Van der Bellen emphasized that the situation in Ukraine remains the focus of Austrian foreign policy. Developments in the Middle East, in particular the tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, were also discussed. Both heads of state agreed that a diplomatic solution in these crisis regions was of crucial importance.

Austria-Slovakia: Europe's closest neighbors

At the meeting, Van der Bellen emphasized that Vienna and Bratislava are not only closely linked geographically, but also economically. Austria is the second largest investor in Slovakia and around 2,000 Austrian companies are active in the country. The exchange of workers also plays a major role: around 40,000 people commute from Slovakia to Austria every day. Van der Bellen praised the fact that, despite the introduction of border controls at the Slovakian-Austrian border, there have been no significant delays for commuters.

According to Pellegrini, the cross-border rescue agreement is a prime example of good cooperation between the two countries. However, he also conceded that there was still room for improvement in other areas, particularly in infrastructure. For example, the modernization of the railroad line between Marchegg and Bratislava is continuing, but there is still some catching up to do when it comes to connecting the Vienna-Schwechat and Bratislava airports.

Cultural cooperation and the Slovakian community in Austria

Another highlight of Pellegrini's visit was his visit to the “Slovak House” in Vienna, the center of the Austrian-Slovak Cultural Association. Around 50,000 Slovak citizens live in Austria, forming one of the country's six officially recognized minorities. Pellegrini praised the work of the association and the Slovakian community in Austria, which makes a significant contribution to preserving Slovakian culture and language. He emphasized the importance of cohesion and cultural exchange, which reflects the close ties between the two countries.

European integration and prospects

In addition to bilateral issues, the presidents also addressed the future of the European Union. Pellegrini emphasized the need for reform of the EU and continued enlargement, in particular the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans. He emphasized that Slovakia has traditionally been a supporter of EU enlargement. Both presidents agreed to deepen friendly relations through regular meetings to ensure open and direct communication.

Peter Pellegrini's visit to Vienna illustrates the close partnership between Austria and Slovakia and underlines the joint efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and further expand cooperation at the European level despite political challenges.

Presidential Chancellery of Austria

President of the Slovak Republic