Foreign Affairs Minister to guide country’s ministries towards EU Core

Foreign and European Affairs Ministry was enjoined by Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday to coordinate the actions of fellow ministries in adopting decisions with implications for Slovakia's standing at the European Union's core, TASR learnt on the same day. Speaking after meeting ministry head Miroslav Lajcak at the ministry, the premier said that he'd asked Lajcak to ensure "clear coordination in regard to Slovak ministries". Accordingly, in selected spheres the ministries shouldn't be mindful merely of their own interests or those of their parties. "In some areas they'll need to make decisions that will be European in nature, rather than marked by Slovakia's interests, or those of the Smer, SNS or Most-Hid parties," said Fico. He recognised Lajčák's recent meeting with his German peer Sigmar Gabriel, which produced a memorandum on structural cooperation and laid a platform for a regular dialogue at political and expert levels that involves all ministries. "Before the end of this year we'll convert the platform into action plans for ministries, and I'm accepting this assignment from the prime minister," said Lajcak, adding that his ministry will oversee the activities in a way that will avoid meddling in the powers of the other ministries.