Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák met with President Andrej Kiska on December 4. (source: SITA)
President Andrej Kiska will not decide on the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák (Smer nominee) for now. He wants to wait for the decision of the government concerning Slovakia’s participation in the conference in Marrakesh, where the UN’s Global Compact for Migration will be discussed.
The government will discuss the topic on December 5.
“I believe that everybody talking about modern Slovakia and the minister’s qualities will prove these claims through their actions,” the president told the December 4 press conference.
After the government session, he will meet with PM Peter Pellegrini and Lajčák in the Presidential Palace and deliver his final decision on the resignation. Personally, he would regret if Lajčák really left.
“Slovakia shouldn’t lose such a high quality minister and world-class diplomat,” Kiska said.
Pellegrini, who met with Lajčák on December 3, has asked Kiska not to accept Lajčák’s resignation.
Slovakia should be present in Marrakesh
In his speech, Kiska also mentioned the fact that Lajčák handed in his resignation in connection with the conference where the global agreement will be discussed. He called the situation around Slovakia’s participation “an unpleasant theatre that has harmed the interests of our country”.
In his opinion, Slovakia should participate in all important decisions concerning the country, whether it is organised by the UN, the EU or other international organisations, and discuss the important issues.
“Cooperation, agreement and participation in discussions are the basic duty of state representatives,” Kiska stressed. “It’s the only way to protect the interests of our people, defend our national interests, and to build a reputation with our partners.”
No problems were ever solved by talking big without leaving home and pretending the problem does not concern them, the president added.
He considers it normal that Slovakia’s representative is attending the UN conference in Marrakesh and at least delivers the message contained in the resolution adopted by the parliament on November 29.
OSCE presidency mentioned
Lajčák threatened resignation shortly before Slovakia’s chairmanship in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Its secretary general, Thomas Greminger, met with Pellegrini on December 3, who expressed the wish that the chairmanship be led by Lajčák, who in his opinion is best prepared for this task, as the TASR newswire reported.
Both the Slovak prime minister and president mentioned the presidency in their speeches, when talking about the challenges Slovakia will soon face.
