German Ambassador Barbara Wolf and French Ambassador Pascal Le Deunff.
2024 will bring a number of important anniversaries: We look forward to congratulating the Slovak Republic on the 20th anniversary of its accession to the European Union. On 1st of May 2004, Slovakia joined the European Union. 20 years later, benefits like integration into the internal market, which attracted so many investments to the Slovak Republic, a common currency, the receipt of very important European funds, an area of easy travelling, exchange programmes for young people like ERASMUS, along with shared values and rules are almost taken for granted – one more reason to cherish this year’s anniversary.
We also celebrate 20 years of the NATO membership of the Slovak Republic. In times of crisis, Russian aggression against Ukraine in our immediate neighbourhood, NATO is demonstrating solidarity and practical mutual support, for example through the NATO multinational battle group, also deployed in Slovakia.
All these positive developments have been prompted by the peaceful revolution in 1989 which we celebrate in 2024 with its 35th anniversary. We look forward to further strengthening our relations, united in the European Union and mutually protected within the North Atlantic Alliance.
On 22nd January, dem deutsch-französischen Tag, la journée franco-allemande, marking the anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty of 1963, France and Germany recall our reconciliation and celebrate our friendship. We reconfirm that France and Germany are each other’s most important partners and closest allies. We are constantly working to adapt and further develop our relations. Following the Treaty of Aachen of 2019, a new Franco-German network, "Generation Europe", has been set up to engage young people for our cooperation, as well as a Franco-German Citizenship Fund supporting local initiatives to bring the two societies even closer. France and Germany have jointly launched a working group of independent experts to develop ideas for EU reforms in preparation for EU enlargement. The Franco-German governmental seminar held in October 2023 in Hamburg brought together the ministers of the two governments in an unprecedented format of two days of intense dialogue, allowing progress to be made on key issues such as the reform of the European electricity market, and asserting the bilateral coordination on energy transition and technological sovereignty, including artificial intelligence. The German-French Parliamentary Assembly, consisting of 50 deputies from each national parliament, the Assemblée Nationale and the Deutsche Bundestag, convened for its biannual meeting last December in Bonn – one of its key topics fostering French and German as foreign languages abroad.
We are tirelessly working to find common solutions in the interest of our countries and of Europe. Our cooperation serves Europe. We are working for a European Union which is more resilient, more sovereign and more capable of action. This is particularly essential in today’s increasingly multi-polar world for Europe to defend its place, values and interests. The strengthening of a European common security and defence policy with our transatlantic partners is today more important than ever.
On December 14 and 15, 2023, the European heads of State and Government gathered for a European Council in Brussels made important decisions, in particular regarding the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. We stand together side-by-side with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Moscow is not showing any sign of willingness to negotiate towards peace in good faith. On the contrary: the Ukrainian civilian population continues to be bombed daily by the Russian army. Therefore, the EU continued support to Ukraine, including militarily, is necessary for the return to peace, stability and security for all on our continent, in compliance with international law. While continuing to assist Kiev, we will keep up our efforts to ensure the broadest possible international support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the key principles and objectives of Ukraine's Peace Formula put forward by President Zelensky.
Due to the war our energy supplies and global food security are also enormously challenged, which we only can face jointly and united. Further issues to reinforce our European capacities and capabilities include strengthening our industrial and digital sovereignty, and consolidating democracy. Our two countries trust and encourage Slovakia to continue its support and cooperation in promoting a stronger, more protective and more united Europe, based on the values of freedom and respect for the rule of law.
Despite all challenges we are looking to the future with optimism. Vive l’amitié franco-allemande, es lebe die deutsch-französische Freundschaft!
