Between 25 and 27 May 2014, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, paid an official visit to the Republic of Cyprus.
The main purpose of the visit was to strengthen bilateral economic and political relations between Cyprus and Slovakia, to discuss political issues of mutual relevance and to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the bi-communal dialogue between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties.
Minister Miroslav Lajčák met with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, on Sunday and the Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, I. Kasoulides, and the President of the House of Representatives, Yiannakis Omirou, on Monday. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák also had an audience with His Beatitude Chrysostomos II, the Archbishop of Cyprus.
During the visit a Memorandum of Understanding between the Investment Promotion Agencies of Slovakia and Cyprus was signed, in order to foster greater economic cooperation particularly in the areas of machinery industry, tourism, energy and research and development. The signing of the MoU followed the recent establishment of the Cyprus-Slovakia Business Association which seeks to encourage and promote investment opportunities for the benefit of both countries. On behalf of the Government of Slovakia and together with the Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Patsalis, an “Intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of health and medical sciences” was signed.
A gala dinner devoted to energy cooperation and bilateral trade was organised in Limassol for key business players. Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Mr. Miroslav Lajčák mentioned during his speech the completed hard reforms in Slovakia (rehabilitation of the banking sector requiring expenses of 11% GDP, growth of industrial production, and gaining world leadership in the number of cars produced per capita), the current macroeconomic forecasts (expected second highest GDP growth from among all EU countries), as well as the fact that Slovakia is 100% dependent on supplies of natural gas and oil from the Russian Federation and after the experience of internal problems between Ukraine and Russia in 2009 Slovakia needs to find new potential suppliers including Cyprus. Minister Lakkotrypis informed about the strategic decision of the Cypriot government to materialize income from deposits of mineral resources in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus. Cyprus wants to make the country an energetic hub of the region for the export of LNG to Europe through the construction of a plant for the production of liquefied natural gas.
On Tuesday, Minister Miroslav Lajčák visited the UNFICYP HQ in order to meet the Special Representative and Head of UNFICYP, Mrs. Lisa Buttenheim, and to mark the 50th anniversary of UNFICYP. Minister Miroslav Lajčák also paid a special visit to the 157 Slovak soldiers and 2 police officers serving under UNFICYP.
