Shortly before the new round of negotiations with the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers, the Slovak government approved a document that determines the framework for Slovakia’s involvement in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The strategic material sets specific goals, measures and activities that will strengthen cooperation with our eastern neighbor, help the economy and deepen important partnerships, explained in an interview for Pravda the Deputy Prime Minister for the recovery plan Peter Kmec (Hlas).
The basic vision of Slovakia is for the country to benefit from modernized infrastructure, stronger business relations and the development of human capital, says the Deputy Prime Minister. “In this way, we will not only help Ukraine, but at the same time we will strengthen our own economy, especially in the border areas of eastern Slovakia. I am convinced that this effort will contribute to the stability and prosperity of the entire region,” he thinks.
He identified the construction of modern energy and transport infrastructure on the Slovakian-Ukrainian border as the most important areas of cooperation. “The electrification system between Mukachevo and Veľký Kapušany will be modernized. This new infrastructure should be completed by 2028 so that a larger amount of energy can flow to both sides, which both Ukraine and Slovakia need nowadays from the point of view of building new investments in eastern Slovakia,” Kmec explained.
In the field of transport, it is planned to expand the border crossing in Vyšné Nemek, which is important for passenger transport, but in the future its capacity is also planned to be expanded for a greater rush of freight traffic.
“Of course, the construction of road infrastructure is also connected with this, because we need to complete the construction of the highway from Košice to the border crossing and all the way to Uzhhorod. We have projects in progress that are co-financed by the European Commission, and we will also look for additional resources from private investors, because it is very important that we complete the construction of the highway,” Kmec explains.
The Slovak government also plans to build a railway network near the eastern border. According to Kmec, negotiations are currently underway with the Ukrainian side on the restoration of the border crossing through Čop and Čierna nad Tisou, where the railway originally operated up to Bratislava. “Now we have agreed to set the schedule so that trains from Čop to Bratislava can start operating by the end of this calendar year,” he told Pravda.
However, similar cross-border projects will be beneficial not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire region of eastern Slovakia, emphasized Peter Kmec. “They are just the beginning of cooperation, because Eastern Slovakia and Transcarpathia are regions that have a huge perspective, especially when the EU opens up to Ukraine. And here I think there is a lot of room for cooperation between entrepreneurs at the regional level, but also between Ukraine and the whole Slovaks,” concluded the Deputy Prime Minister.
Source: spravy.pravda.sk
