Blanar: Slovakia Signs Host Agreement with Permanent Court of Arbitration

Bratislava, 8 September (TASR) - Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Tuesday signed a host country agreement between Slovakia and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), based in The Hague, with its Secretary-General Marcin Czepelak at the Foreign Ministry. The agreement will establish a legal framework for any arbitration, mediation, conciliation and similar proceedings conducted by the PCA on Slovak soil. "I am very pleased that we will be one of five EU countries to accede to this convention and that, should the parties to a dispute decide so, we will be able to host hearings of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the territory of the Slovak Republic," the Foreign Minister said at a joint news conference. He said the initiative confirmed Slovakia's support for international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The minister wants to submit the agreement to Parliament for approval as soon as possible so that it can subsequently be ratified by the head of state. According to Blanar, Slovakia is already interested in hosting some proceedings next year. "I look forward to a new era of cooperation with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, because we have been part of this arbitration system for years, but now we will have a further special status. This can once again bring valuable experience not only to Slovak diplomacy," he added. Czepelak thanked Slovakia for its support and engagement. He welcomed the fact that the agreement had been signed despite the lengthy process. "From our experience, we see a continuing trend towards the decentralisation of dispute resolution," he said, noting that the location where disputes are resolved is very important in terms of the parties' trust. "With this host country agreement, we will be able to be in Slovakia and offer the parties an exceptional place to resolve their disputes," he added. The conclusion of the agreement, the signing of which was approved by the Slovak Government at its meeting on 26 August this year, will expand existing cooperation between Slovakia and the PCA. Slovakia will also join the small group of states that provide conditions for international proceedings administered by the institution to be held outside its seat in The Hague. mf