The election of Slovakia to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirms the trust that the international community places in the Slovak Republic as a country that supports dialogue, international law and efforts for a world without chemical weapons. This was stated by the head of Slovak diplomacy, Juraj Blanár. The Communications Department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MFA) of the Slovak Republic informed TASR about this on Saturday.
In Tuesday’s secret vote, Slovakia secured one of the three seats in the OPCW Executive Board reserved for the Eastern Europe region for the period from May 2026 to 2028. Blanár described the election as a success for Slovak diplomacy and recognition of active participation in multilateral organizations, where, according to him, the country has been promoting the values of cooperation and security for a long time.
The Slovak Republic will actively contribute to the implementation and compliance with the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which is considered one of the most successful tools for global disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic said in a statement.
According to the Department of Diplomacy, Slovakia’s involvement in the OPCW has a long-term and professional dimension. It also includes a specialized training center for radiation, chemical and biological protection in Zemianske Kostoľany, which also provides training for OPCW personnel and has the ability to test the effects of chemical substances in controlled conditions. Its importance was also appreciated by OPCW Director General Fernando Arias during the March meeting with Minister Blanár.
“I am convinced that our membership in the Executive Council will further highlight Slovakia’s expertise in this area and open up new possibilities, how we can strengthen our work for the benefit of international security,” emphasized the head of Slovak diplomacy.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was established in 1997 after the entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons. The Executive Council consists of 41 members and is the key executive body of the OPCW. This is the sixth term for the Slovak Republic in the Executive Council, while in the past she also held its presidency – Slovak diplomat Oksana Tomová led the Executive Council in 2008-2009, the ministry recalled.
“At a time when we see the erosion of international law and the weakening of global rules, it is crucial for the Slovak Republic to be active in international organizations, and therefore Slovakia continues to strengthen its visibility and presence in multilateral structures,” added Blanár.
In recent months, Slovakia has asserted itself in several positions in international organizations – from December 1, 2025, František Ružička will assume the position of Deputy Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Since November, Marcel Peško has been leading the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Serbia and in September, Slovakia was elected to the Administrative Council of the Universal Postal Union.
He got a role in the United Nations system Miroslav Jenča as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia, Olga Algayerová she acts as vice-chairwoman of the Governing Board of the Development Bank of the Council of Europe, and Slovakia was also elected to the UN-Habitat Executive Board and its Bureau. The ambassador also holds an important position Juraj Podhorský, who currently chairs the Board of Directors of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Department of Diplomacy reminded.
