President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by the Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Richard Rasi, on May 13.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that President Ilham Aliyev recalled with satisfaction his meetings during his official visit to Slovakia last year, including his discussions with Richard Rasi. Highlighting the development of cooperation across various sectors, the head of state touched upon the role of inter-parliamentary relations in expanding bilateral ties based on mutual respect, friendship, and partnership. President Ilham Aliyev noted the importance of Richard Rasi visiting Azerbaijan with a large delegation, stating that this is a further demonstration of the partnership between the two nations.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the delegation for the reception, the guest stated they were honored to meet with the head of state. Richard Rasi thanked the President of Azerbaijan for his first official visit to Slovakia. Recalling his previous visits to Azerbaijan with satisfaction, the guest mentioned his 2022 trip to Shusha. He stated that during this visit, he would also travel to Garabagh to witness the restoration and reconstruction work being carried out there, as well as to familiarize himself with the activities of Garabagh University in Khankendi.
Richard Rasi congratulated the head of state on the achievements regarding the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Expressing gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev spoke about the measures taken by Azerbaijan to strengthen peace and noted that trade relations have been established between the countries, including the export of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia. During the conversation, it was emphasized that strategic partnership relations have been established between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, noting the high level of political ties.
The participation of Slovak companies in the reconstruction of Bash Garvand village in Aghdam was highlighted as a testament to the Azerbaijan-Slovakia friendship. The meeting also included discussions on cooperation within international inter-parliamentary institutions and an exchange of views on expanding ties in economic-trade, energy, defense industry, education, humanitarian, modern technologies, culture, sports, tourism, and other fields. It was noted that direct flights between Baku and Bratislava will soon be launched, which will contribute to the expansion of tourism and people-to-people contacts.
Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia have intensified significantly in recent years, particularly following the signing of a joint declaration on strategic partnership. As an EU and NATO member, Slovakia plays a crucial role in Azerbaijan's European integration efforts and energy security dialogue. The involvement of Slovak specialists in the reconstruction of the liberated territories, specifically in the "smart village" projects in Aghdam, underscores the practical dimension of this bilateral cooperation.
