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Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, speaking on Monday in Yerevan at a joint press conference with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, voiced the opportunities of cooperation between the two countries in the defense industry.
“I said this before, and allow me to repeat, if we don’t produce weapons, then someone else will do it instead of us, and we will have to buy those weapons. If we spend much money on defense, then as small states we must use our opportunities by producing the kind of products that would meet our needs and will not tie us to major suppliers,” Fico said.
Fico presented Slovakia’s experience in dual-purpose projects, stressing that his country is implementing infrastructure project at the expense of the defense budget for rebuilding hospitals, roads and bridges.
“I strongly believe that the military needs infrastructure, not just weapons, as we’ve seen in the past,” he said.
PM Fico offered to share Slovak experience with Armenia in cooperation with the EU, state procurements and strategic investments.
“I am sure you also have interesting ideas from which we can learn lessons. We can learn from each other,” Fico said.
He welcomed the agreement on mutual support with Armenia as part of UN Security Council non-permanent membership candidacies and international missions.
PM Fico lauded Yerevan Dialogue forum as a unique platform for expressing sincere positions and ideas.
“Thank you for the warm reception, honorable Mr. Prime Minister, I look forward to your visit to Slovakia,” PM Fico told Pashinyan.
