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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