Slovak Frantisek Ruzicka to Become OECD Deputy Secretary-General

Paris, 19 November (TASR) - Frantisek Ruzicka, Slovakia's permanent representative to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, will become the deputy of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, the Foreign Ministry's communications department told TASR on Wednesday, adding that he will be the first Slovak to take up the post on 1 December. Ruzicka gained the trust of all 38 OECD member countries at the suggestion of the secretary-general. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated that this is a significant achievement for Slovakia, which "confirms the ability of our country and Slovak diplomats to contribute to jointly adopted solutions in a complex international environment." Blanar also emphasised that support for multilateralism is absolutely crucial for Slovakia. Ruzicka's appointment to his new position comes in a year when Slovakia is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its membership in the OECD. According to the ministry, the organisation has contributed to the modernisation of Slovakia's economic and social policies and continues to play an important role in the adoption of international standards in the areas of economics, the environment, business, and artificial intelligence. am