Press Advisories

29. 1. 2015 10:55

The Prime Ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia meet in Slavkov (Austerlitz) to establish a new format of regional cooperation.

The Prime Ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia meet in Slavkov on 29 January 2015.
The Prime Ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia meet in Slavkov on 29 January 2015.
Premier Bohuslav Sobotka met with Federal Chancellor of Austria Werner Faymann and Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico in Slavkov on 29 January 2015 to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in such areas as good neighborliness, employment and economic growth, and other national and pan-European policies.

The prime ministers agreed on the need to increase public awareness in all three countries of common interests and of illustrating the progress of European integration through specific achievements. The premiers adopted the Slavkov Declaration to pursue this objective and to underscore their commitment to joint trilateral cooperation. The declaration includes a Work Plan that defines the cooperation areas for the year 2015. These areas include transport, energy infrastructure and security, youth employment, cross-border cooperation, the social dimension of the European integration process, and cooperation with the neighboring countries of the European Union. The three signatories of the Slavkov Declaration agreed to meet on an annual basis in the future.

"Austrians, Czechs, and Slovaks are bound by numerous historical and interpersonal ties that have formed in the cultural space of the Central European region over centuries. We therefore want to join forces in formulating response to certain challenges that lay ahead of our region as well as to various practical aspects of good neighborly cooperation," commented the Slavkov conference Prime Minister Sobotka.

"I am pleased about the meeting with Czech and Slovak Premiers Bohuslav Sobotka and Robert Fico in Slavkov in Moravia. A continual dialogue is the best basis for good neighborly relations – among other reasons because we share numerous common interests in the framework of today's integrated Europe," said Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann.

The prime ministers also discussed issues relating to the planned Investment Initiative of the European Commission, underlining its importance for promoting growth and strengthening the competitiveness of the European economy. In view of the recent terrorist attacks in France, the premiers agreed on the need for and resolved to take part in the implementation of measures mitigating the threat of such incidents in the future. For this purpose, a review needs to be carried out of the EU's joint counter-terrorism strategy. Prevention and a comprehensive solution to migration-related issues and pressures thereby created must be incorporated to form an important part of this strategy.

Before the conference, held at the Slavkov Mansion, the prime ministers visited together a cairn of peace located on the site where the Battle of Three Emperors took place in 1805. They laid a wreath to honor the memory of more than 16,000 of soldiers of various nationalities who perished on the Slavkov battleground.

print article   email   facebook   twitter

Photo gallery

Documents attached

Photo Gallery