Minister discusses cooperation with new Italian Ambassador

The main topics on the agenda of today's meeting between Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš and the new Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Slovak Republic, His Excellency Mr Gabriel Meucci, were current NATO and EU issues and bilateral cooperation. Minister Gajdoš informed the Ambassador of the approved White Book on Defence of the Slovak Republic, the drafting of the Security and Defence Strategies of the Slovak Republic, the modernisation and replacement of the main armaments and assets in service with the SVK Air Force and Land Forces. He invited Italy to participate in the NFIU Slovakia and in the Trust Fund for Ukraine. He informed the Ambassador of the SVK Armed Force's engagement in the training mission in the Baltic States, as well as of the SVK REP having increased the 2017 defence budget by over €109 million. Another area for discussion was the US position on boosting defence spending. Ambassador Meucci updated the Minister of Defence on the current developments in illegal migration, which is having a direct impact on Italy. The SVK REP will be involved in EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia, which is aimed against human smugglers and their networks and infrastructure in the Mediterranean Sea. The operation is commanded by Admiral Enrico Credendino of Italy.