Juraj Nociar to Become Slovakia's New Permanent Representative to EU

Bratislava, September 5 (TASR) - Juraj Nociar, who has served as the head of Slovak Commissioner Maros Sefcovic's office, will become Slovakia's new Permanent Representative to the EU, the communications department of the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry told TASR on Thursday, adding that Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has received him before he leaves for his new post. The head of Slovak diplomacy pointed out that Slovakia's priority in the EU is to protect Slovakia's national interests and to promote the preservation of the right of veto in areas where it is still possible to use it. According to him, Slovakia's Permanent Representation to the EU is a key link in communicating these interests. "Slovakia's representatives at the European Union will fully contribute to the search for common solutions to European and global challenges, but they will also actively convey our principled positions and defend Slovak interests," stressed Blanar. Nociar noted that the EU faces several unprecedented challenges. "Its ability to tackle them jointly is crucial for its stability, as well as for its overall development and position on the global stage," he said, adding that all member states should be respected and that, through this, the EU's unity should be strengthened. am/df