Premier Holds Working Meeting Lasting Several Hours with UAE President

Bratislava, 29 July (TASR) - President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) held a working meeting in Bratislava lasting several hours on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from Fico's post on social media. The premier stated that he and the UAE president had agreed on specific cooperation regarding an infrastructure project on the River Danube in Bratislava and on continuing projects already underway in the defence industry. "We also discussed a public-private partnership (PPP) project in the Slovak agricultural sector relating to irrigation, as well as the possible entry of an investor from the UAE into the Slovak spa industry under the state control. In addition to other subjects, we asked the president for his support in establishing a direct flight route between Bratislava and Dubai or Abu Dhabi," the premier told TASR, noting that they also discussed the current security situation in the Middle East and Ukraine. According to Fico, the working meeting followed on from his visit to the UAE in October last year. "The visit of a prominent figure in world politics to Slovakia is further confirmation of the soundness of our sovereign foreign affairs policy oriented in all four cardinal directions," stated the prime minister, adding that Wednesday's meeting deepened friendly relations. "UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has once again demonstrated that he is a particularly pragmatic, rational and visionary leader. In this context, I commended the significant contribution of his leadership in ensuring stability in the Middle East," noted Fico, adding that the UAE president is among those world leaders who prioritise the word 'peace' over the word 'war'. According to WAM agency, the Emirati head of state was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, advisor to the UAE president; and a number of ministers and senior officials. am