Fico Launches His Visit to Vietnam, Believes in Mutually Successful Mission

Hanoi, 12 April (TASR) – Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), together, accompanied by Slovak ministers and a business delegation, launched his official visit to Vietnam on Sunday, the Government Office's press department has informed TASR, adding that he will have an exceptionally busy agenda there. "Vietnam is becoming an attractive tourist destination. More than 18,000 Slovaks visited the country in 2025, definitely also thanks to the scrapping of visa duty for our citizens for stays not exceeding 45 days," said Fico in Vietnam. The premier stated that the two countries share a common past, and therefore it's not anything unusual to meet Slovak- or Czech-speaking people in high-ranking posts in Vietnam. On the other hand, a recognised Vietnamese ethnic minority lives in Slovakia, he added. "Vietnam, it is a 100 million population, a success story, our largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and the 3rd largest in the whole of Asia. Above all, it is an incredibly hospitable, friendly and peaceful country," said Fico. The premier further said that he has a working meeting scheduled for Sunday, and that he's going to sign a document on a strategic partnership between Slovakia and Vietnam with his Vietnamese counterpart, Le Minh Hung on Monday (13 April). "The EU itself has signed a strategic partnership with Vietnam, and anyone with common sense must be interested in developing friendly and mutually beneficial economic relations with this Asian tiger," said Fico. His agenda also includes opening of the Slovak–Vietnamese business forum. Fico will return to Slovakia on Tuesday (14 April). He will be accompanied on the foreign trip by Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD), Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD), Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) and Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee). ko