Caputova Pays Visit to NATO Force Integration Unit Slovakia

Bratislava, March 28 (TASR) - NATO membership provides Slovakia with security guarantees at a level that a country of its size would never be able to achieve on its own, said President Zuzana Caputova during a visit to the NATO Force Integration Unit Slovakia (NFIU) in Bratislava on Thursday on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Slovakia's accession to the Alliance. "I consider this decision of ours 20 years ago to be the most important in terms of ensuring the security and prosperity of our country because we're in a club that provides us protection now and in the future," noted Caputova. "It gives us many guarantees and very specific potential assistance if needed," added the president, pointing to the assistance that the Allies provided by protecting Slovakia's airspace. Concerning NATO's prospects, Caputova remarked that since the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine the Alliance has never been as united as it is now. According to the president, NFIU symbolises cooperation between allies, NATO-member countries, in the spirit of the slogan "One for all, all for one". NFIU Commander Marian Kurilla pointed out that this is the first time in history that the liaison team has been visited by a Slovak president. Not only the past, but also the present, according to him, confirms the importance of Slovakia's accession to the Alliance. zel/df