Defence Ministry: It's Premature to Inform Public About Changes to DCA

Bratislava, June 29 (TASR) - The Defence Ministry finds it premature at this point to inform public about specific potential changes regarding the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States and claimed that over the past months Slovakia has built a certain position in the negotiations that Bratislava doesn't wish to undermine, TASR learnt from the Defence Ministry press department on Saturday. "The Defence MInistry doesn't approach changes to the DCA framework recklessly. We fairly informed our American partners that we're not happy with some parts of the DCA and their subsequent practical interpretations. The American side is willing to hold talks about the changes," claimed the ministry. After assuming his office, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) announced that it will be necessary to revise the DCA treaty, concluded in 2022, over what he sees as its "unfortunate wording". The DCA regulates the use of military airports Malacky-Kuchyna and Sliac by the United States forces. It is to stay in effect for ten years and subsequently can either stay in force or get repudiated with a cancellation period of one year. mf