Monitor: Taraba: Foreign Policy towards Four Cardinal Directions Is Working Well

(TA3,'V politike', 1 February) Speaking on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) said the validity of a foreign policy oriented towards all cardinal directions is confirmed by the fact that Slovakia maintains active contacts with all of the most powerful countries of the world. Also on the show, opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) Vice-chair Maria Kolikova described this approach in foreign policy as a "fallacy" resulting in a loss of credibility and trust among partners in the European Union (EU). Taraba is convinced that the contacts and cooperation established by the current government was "a fiasco" for the opposition. "They claimed that Slovakia would be isolated. Now it seems the only ones in isolation are them," said Taraba. He also referred to meetings with the US, Chinese or French presidents and particularly highlighted the strategic partnership with China. "Today, everyone is rushing there, including Western governments," he stressed. Kolikova believes that Slovakia lost the trust of its most important European partners due to its inability to take a clear stance in foreign policy based on the unity of the EU. "This government has no chance to regain that trust," warned Kolikova, criticising Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) for collecting photos from meetings with world leaders. "But he's unable to say what he wanted to talk about during his important meetings abroad. For example, we basically learned nothing about his meeting with the French president," she said. Taraba also defended criticism of the Green Deal, stressing that the Environment Ministry should not hinder industrial development. He confirmed that Slovakia wants to be part of a group of EU countries that the Czech Republic intends to set up to support EU's competitiveness. According to Kolikova, the current government failed in this area, driving businesses out of Slovakia. "Companies are leaving, either because of burgeoning corruption or higher payroll tax burden," said Kolikova. She also criticised the outlines of a plan to build a new nuclear reactor in the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant. While respecting the plan itself, she is concerned about the investment estimated at €15 billion, as similar projects cost less. Furthermore, a memorandum signed with the USA already predefines the investor. "It explicitly states that the government will take steps in order for the U.S. to be awarded this project, and that's a problem," she said. Taraba stated that the USA, as a country with the most extensive experience in such investment projects, have built the largest supply network. Both politicians also commented on the resignation of the prime minister's adviser and former foreign minister [2012-20], Miroslav Lajcak. Taraba believes he should have taken this step earlier and blamed him for damaging the prime minister's standing. Kolikova welcomed Lajcak's resignation. "It's sad that the former foreign minister was not capable of taking personal responsibility earlier," she said, adding that Fico finally figured out that downplaying Lajcak's communication with late US financier and sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein was inappropriate. jrg