Honorary Consulate in Bilbao Set to Boost Slovak-Spanish Economic Cooperation

Bratislava/Madrid, 4 June (TASR) - During his working trip to Spain, Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) ceremoniously handed over credentials to a new honorary consul of Slovakia, who will head the first-ever Slovak honorary consulate in the city of Bilbao in the Basque Country, TASR learnt from the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Wednesday. The honorary consulate should help to realise the potential of economic and investment cooperation between Slovakia and Spain, which is currently Slovakia's 14th most-important trading partner, with bilateral trade amounting to €4.3 billion annually. "By opening an honorary consulate in the capital of the Basque Country, we're interested in strengthening mutual trade activities with Spain, attracting investments and opening up cooperation in other promising areas as well," stated Blanar when handing over credentials to new Slovak honorary consul Uztail Rocafort Abando, who is a renowned banker. The consular office in Bilbao will also provide consular assistance to Slovak citizens living in the northern part of Spain and to Slovak tourists. Developing the economic and investment partnership between Slovakia and Spain was also the subject of bilateral talks held between Blanar and his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on June 2. ko/df