Foreign Affairs Ministry Summons Dutch Ambassador to Slovakia

Bratislava, 2 March (TASR) - Following the official appointment of the new minority Dutch government, the Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry, on the instructions of minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), summoned Dutch Ambassador to Slovakia Jules Gerzon on Monday to protest against the part of the coalition agreement that describes Slovakia as a country that allegedly "actively undermines Europe". Slovakia views this description as unacceptable interference in its internal affairs and strongly objects to it, the ministry's communications department has informed TASR. "Even before the appointment of the new minority government in the Netherlands, Slovak diplomacy transparently communicated its reservations to its Dutch partners through standard diplomatic channels, along with a call for an open dialogue on these claims. Unfortunately, there has been no adequate response from the Dutch side, which left the false claims in the coalition agreement," stated the ministry. The ministry stressed that Slovakia cares about good relations with the Netherlands, but they must be based on mutual respect, understanding and an equal partnership, not lecturing, said the ministry. "Every member state of the EU has an equal right to defend its national interests, which mustn't be denied by another member state making threats of withdrawing voting rights, as stated in the coalition agreement of the new minority Dutch government. We fundamentally object to this and view the preservation of the right of veto in areas where it still applies as crucial for the future of the EU as a union of states in which it is not the great powers that decide, but where every country - even a smaller one - has a sovereign voice," noted the ministry. The ministry said that it will continue to communicate sovereign stances within the EU in the interests of their development. "And we are ready to hold a matter-of-fact dialogue with the Netherlands as well," it added. ko/df