EU20: Blanar: Member States Enjoy Unique Space for Dialogue Within EU

Bratislava, May 7 (TASR) - EU member states enjoy a unique space for mutual dialogue and in-person meetings as part of European talks that enable us to talk openly about problems as well as our plans and support, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) said on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Slovakia joining the EU. Slovakia became an EU member on May 1, 2004. "It's natural that even within the EU form various groups of states that think alike, seeing as we're sometimes closer to countries of our neighbourhood, other times with countries of the south or the west of Europe," noted Blanar. He added that EU member states are natural partners and allies of Slovakia. Blanar underlined that for Slovakia the cooperation with countries of the Visegrad Four (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) is of special importance. "In the history of this group that goes back 33 years, we've proved in specific cases that we're allied by political, economic and interpersonal ties," he said and claimed that the voice of the V4 group has gained an increasing weight within the EU, which enables it to promote the interests of its inhabitants better. mf/mcs