DIPLOMATIC–CONSULAR OFFICES AND MISSIONS

Sarajevo, November 30th, 2009

Press Release

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak Receives Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Slovakia Ivan Orlic in His Farewell  Visit

On November 27th, 2009,  Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Lajcak received Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Slovakia Ivan Orlic in the latter’s farewell visit.

During an open and friendly conversation, Minister Lajcak expressed Slovakia’s whole-hearted support to B&H’s application for NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP), adding that apart from his country, a great number of  NATO Member States also supports B&H in this effort. He commended the progress made by B&H institutions in terms of meeting conditions for visa liberalization and expressed his belief that B&H will gain a visa-free regime by the first half of the next year. Minister Lajcak stated that the “Butmir process” is of strategic importance and that B&H needs to become a functional state, otherwise, it will be left on the margins of the European processes.

Bearing in mind that this was a farewell visit by Ambassador Orlic, Minister Lajcak expressed satisfaction with the overall results and development of open and exceptionally friendly relations between the two countries. He wished Ambassador Orlic personal and professional success in his future career.

Ambassador Orlic expressed appreciation to Minister Lajcak for Slovakia’s overall support to all B&H’s initiatives, proposals and expectations, underlining that this support has always been unconditional, which is one more reason to open a resident diplomatic mission in Slovakia. This idea was accepted during a discussion by B&H Presidency Members and President of Slovakia during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

National Day and recalled the historical importance which November 25th  has for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens.