PM Fico Holds Talks with Irish Premier Martin on EU Budget in Bratislava

Bratislava, 10 September (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and his Irish counterpart Micheal Martin held talks at the Government Office in Bratislava on Thursday during Martin's official visit to Slovakia to attend a Visegrad Four summit (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia), with both leaders focusing on the issues of competitiveness and the European Union (EU) budget for 2028–2034, TASR learnt from the Government Office's press and information department on the same day. "I'm pleased that the Irish prime minister has come to Slovakia and will attend a Visegrad Four meeting at Bratislava Castle. If we want to bring the V4's key topics to the European level, then meeting the Irish prime minister, whose country holds the EU presidency, is an excellent opportunity not only for Slovakia, but also for the entire Central European region," said Fico. The previous visit by an Irish prime minister to Slovakia took place in 2004, while Fico visited Ireland in 2006 during his first term as prime minister. Ireland is currently holding the presidency of the Council of the EU for the eighth time. The Irish leader's visit to Slovakia also carries symbolic weight, as the V4 countries joined the EU during the Irish EU presidency in 2004. The V4 prime ministers, Fico, Andrej Babis (the Czech Republic), Donald Tusk (Poland) and Peter Magyar (Hungary), will hold talks with the Irish prime minister at Bratislava Castle in the V4+ format later on Thursday. jrg/df