BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. The visit of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico to Azerbaijan and the signing of a joint statement on strategic partnership aftermath mark a turning point in relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
He highlighted that diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Slovakia were established in 1993, emphasizing President Ilham Aliyev's influential working visit to Slovakia in 2004 to bolster bilateral relations. Presently, relations between the countries are ascending to a new, elevated level.
"Slovak companies are active in Azerbaijan, participating in road construction and various projects. Slovakia expresses heightened interest in collaboration with Azerbaijan across energy, agriculture, power plants, environmental protection, and construction sectors. In this context, the involvement of Slovak companies in activities within the liberated lands stands as a pivotal aspect of cooperation between the two nations. The reconstruction of Bash Garvand village in Aghdam district by a Slovak company holds significant symbolic value. It not only underscores the sincerity of Azerbaijan-Slovak relations but also promises modern, 'smart city' and 'smart village' developments adhering to the latest standards upon the return of residents to these liberated lands,” he noted.
The political analyst emphasized the importance of the signing of the Joint Declaration as one of the important events.
“The Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and Slovakia holds significant political weight, as emphasized by President Ilham Aliyev. This year, natural gas exports to European countries are projected to reach 12 billion cubic meters, constituting 50 percent of Azerbaijan's total gas exports. By the end of 2027, plans are underway to increase gas transportation to the European Union's territory to 20 billion cubic meters. Consequently, Azerbaijan is ramping up its natural gas production to fulfill these commitments. Presently, Azerbaijan exports natural gas to eight European countries. The signing of the "Solidarity Ring" document in 2023 has opened avenues for Azerbaijani gas transportation to the Slovakian market. Slovakia may become the ninth European country to receive Azerbaijani natural gas. Additionally, Azerbaijan aims to export renewable energy to Europe, presenting Slovakia with an opportunity to benefit from the power transmission line extending to the Balkan Peninsula,” he noted.
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