Warsaw/Bratislava – Juraj Blanár, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, held discussions in Warsaw with his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski. He also met with Pawel Kowal, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm and the government’s representative for the reconstruction of Ukraine. As part of his official visit, Blanár toured the Warsaw headquarters of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), according to a report from TASR’s Warsaw correspondent.
During a press conference following his meeting with Sikorski, Minister Blanár emphasized that Poland ranks as Slovakia’s third most significant business partner, with increasing interest from Slovak investors in the Polish market. The ministers discussed enhancing cross-border collaboration, reviewing existing treaties, improving cross-border healthcare, and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
At the Frontex headquarters, Blanár engaged with Aija Kalnaja, the Deputy Executive Director for Capabilities, regarding the challenges posed by illegal migration and the potential for cooperation among EU member states to address these issues.
The largest agency in the EU aids countries in managing external borders and tackling cross-border crime. “In countries where it was once unimaginable, there is now acknowledgment that illegal migration poses a significant challenge. This is highlighted by the introduction of controls at the EU’s internal borders, which undermines the basic principle of free movement within the Schengen area—one of the key advantages the Union offers our citizens,” the minister remarked.
Blanár and Kalnaja concurred that illegal migration issues extend well beyond European borders.
“Slovakia has consistently maintained that the Migration Pact does not adequately address this challenge. In addition to safeguarding the Schengen borders and enacting a robust return policy, we must concentrate on third countries and provide targeted assistance to those regions,” Blanár stressed.
He noted that Slovakia actively participates in Frontex operations, deploying police officers to support joint initiatives. Looking ahead to 2024, the focus for Slovakia will be on the Balkan region, specifically Serbia, Romania, and Greece. (March 14)
“Slovakia has long and consistently stated that the Migration Pact is not a solution in this regard. Besides protecting the Schengen borders, a thorough return policy, and other measures, it is necessary to focus on third countries and direct attention and assistance to this area.” — Juraj Blanár.
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