Heger: Those Who Once Drafted DCA Are Now Spearheading Wave of Hatred against It

Bratislava, January 26 (TASR) - Politicians from the previous government who drafted the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the USA at that time are now spearheading the wave of hatred and misinformation in connection with the document in the country, Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) said at a joint press conference with European Council President Charles Michel in Bratislava on Wednesday. "I informed the EC president about the misinformation that is being spread [in Slovakia] in connection with this agreement and, unfortunately, that is breeding ever more hatred. This act is spearheaded by politicians who once prepared the document," Heger said, adding that these people "are sowing uncertainty at this crucial time". "We will continue to bolster the security of our public," Heger stressed, adding that he expects the agreement to be signed in the next few weeks, after which it will be passed to Parliament for ratification. Besides the DCA, Heger and Michel also addressed the situation in Ukraine. "We’re facing a threat on our eastern border. The threat against Ukraine is a threat against Slovakia," remarked Heger, stating that he and Michel concurred that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine needs to be resolved via de-escalation of tensions and a dialogue with Moscow. Michel stressed the importance of diplomacy in this vein, noting, however, that the EU, together with the USA and NATO, is ready to take decisive and wide-ranging action if the situation on Ukraine's border escalates. zel/mcs