MFA: Michal Slivovic Takes Up Post of Slovak Ambassador to Turkey

Bratislava, 26 June (TASR) - Michal Slivovic has taken up the post of Slovak Ambassador to Turkey on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry's communications department told TASR on Thursday, adding that it was in Ankara where Slivovic started his foreign diplomatic career. According to Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), Slovak-Turkish relations are on a very good level. "During Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) official visit to Turkey in January this year, we managed to conclude a strategic partnership between our two countries, which strengthened the political dialogue with the aim of expanding cooperation in several important areas," pointed out the Slovak foreign minister. According to the ministry, Turkey is also a potential market for small and medium-sized enterprises from Slovakia. It is also the eighth most important trading partner. "Slovak-Turkish trade and economic cooperation has great potential, which we want to make use of even more, which is why Turkey is at the centre of Slovakia's economic diplomacy. The country is important for Slovak goods going to Asia from the point of view of Slovak exporters, and at the same time, it can potentially play an important role in ensuring Slovakia's energy security in the future as a transit country for natural gas," said Slivovic. The new ambassador pointed out that a promising area for Slovak entrepreneurs in Turkey is especially the energy sector, in which Slovakia also offers expertise in the processing of nuclear waste. am/mcs