Inter-parliamentary cooperation in the creation of legislation and in the coordination of positions on European topics were key topics Monday’s meeting of representatives The National Council of the Slovak Republic (NR SR) and the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament (PSP) of the Czech Republic in Veľká Javorina and in the village of Lubina in the district of Nové Mesto nad Váhom. After the end of the joint negotiations, the Chairman of the Slovak Parliament, Richard Raši, and the Chairman of the PSP of the Czech Republic, Tomio Okamura, informed about it.
According to Raši, the meeting on the Slovakian-Czech border was the fulfillment of a promise, that after the new Czech government and the new composition of the PSP CR, mutual relations will be restarted to the level they deserve. The topic of the meeting was also key topics for both republics – oil supplies, the situation in the Middle East, energy self-sufficiency, a common position on the issue of the planned ban on combustion engines after 2035, emission allowances, European funds or migration.
“Both parties came in the historically strongest format of representatives of the Slovak Parliament and PSP CR. There were presidents of parliaments, three vice-presidents, committee presidents, representatives from the Czech-Slovak and Slovak-Czech friendship groups from both sides. We had ambassadors here, members of youth parliaments,” added the chairman of the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic.
According to him, the agreement on the cooperation of Czech and Slovak paramedics will take on a real form, and a contract on the cooperation of police forces is being prepared. The Interreg program is being finalized, within which EUR 90 million will go to projects connecting the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
“We want the Czech-Slovak Mutuality Foundation to be established, which will support common culture on both sides of the border. We also agreed that we will create a prize that will be awarded every year to one person from the Czech and Slovak Republics who were and are of particular importance in building Czech-Slovak relations,” Rashi emphasized. Okamura said that the goal of the new government coalition in the Czech Republic is not only to restore, but also the maximum deepening of friendly relations with the nearest nation.
“We were interested in how the Slovak side evaluates the current situation regarding oil supplies via the Družba pipeline and how it envisions ensuring energy security for Slovakia. We were surprised that Croatia charges four times higher transit fees than in the case of deliveries from Russia. There should be some kind of agreement so that European states do not abuse the problematic situation regarding energy against other states. Slovakia has our full support in this,” the chairman of the PSP of the Czech Republic pointed out.
He reminded that the Slovak and Czech sides have the same positions on the issue of emission permits and rejection of ETS2. In Slovakia, the Czech side is also looking for support to reduce or suspend ETS1, which is destroying the industry.
“We are also preparing a memorandum on deepening cooperation between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In this context, the Slovak side was interested in building a transport connection with the Czech Republic in the direction of Púchov. I assured that the Czech government will support this and other road and rail transport projects,” added Okamura.
