President Toqayev Meets Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Astana

The Head of State met with the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, at the Aqorda residence, Orda.kz reports.

President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev described Slovakia as one of Kazakhstan’s key partners within the European Union.

Robert Fico thanked the President for the warm reception:

In the context of our meeting, I would like to thank you for your country's contribution to the situation in Slovakia in 1944–1945. About a million soldiers from your country, including those in the Red Army, participated in the liberation of Slovakia, and, unfortunately, about 60,000 of them died. We are deeply grateful for what you and your country did in the past for my homeland. 

The Prime Minister also noted Kazakhstan’s development plans, saying he was impressed by their scale and ambition.

I often tell my colleagues from the European Union: we need to look not only inside the EU, but also pay attention to what is happening around us, what experience other countries have, what we can learn from them. Sometimes I get the impression that the European Union is in love with itself. We are sure that we are doing the right thing, we are the largest and we do everything better than anyone else. But in reality, we need to cooperate, look around more carefully, and look for new approaches. 

During the meeting, Robert Fico extended an invitation to the President of Kazakhstan to visit Slovakia.

The Prime Minister of Slovakia is currently in Astana on an official visit.

Original Author: Zhadra Zhulmukhametova