Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy, on behalf of the country’s President Zuzana Chaputova on Thursday, February 3, will sign an agreement on military cooperation with the United States.
A bilateral agreement between Bratislava and Washington will allow the American side to use the Malacky-Kuhinya and Sliac military airfields, as well as other bases of the Ministry of Defense, free of charge.
The agreement is expected to be valid for 10 years with the possibility of subsequent extension or withdrawal.
The document also provides for the allocation by the American side of $100 million for the modernization of the defense infrastructure of Slovakia.
Next week, the issue of ratifying the agreement should be considered in the Slovak parliament.
The plan is heavily criticized by many politicians and the public in Slovakia. The leader of the Social Democrats, former Prime Minister Robert Fico is convinced that the sole purpose of the agreement is to bring the US armed forces closer to the Russian border.
Amid reports of the upcoming signing of the agreement, a rally was held in the country demanding that the authorities refuse military cooperation with the United States.
The speakers spoke about the emergence of a threat to the sovereignty of the republic after the signing of the treaty with the United States. There was sharp criticism of the Slovak government and President Zuzana Caputova, who supported plans to station units of other NATO member states on the national territory.
Prior to that, on January 15, a protest rally against the conclusion of an agreement on military cooperation with the United States was held in front of the American embassy in the center of Slovak Bratislava. The action gathered hundreds of participants, they chanted slogans: “We are here at home”, “We will not have Slovakia” and others. In the opinion of civil activists from various public organizations who took part in the meeting, the agreement with the United States approved by the government on January 12 will violate the republic’s sovereignty.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
