Defence Ministry Also Discussing Changes in DCA with Other Ministries

Bratislava, October 21 (TASR) - The Defence Ministry is discussing changes to the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Slovakia and the United Stated of America with other ministries concerned with the issue, the ministry's communication department told TASR on Monday, adding that it still considers it to be premature to provide detailed information on the changes. "Given that in the past the contractual framework wasn't discussed with the ministries concerned or their comments were almost always rejected, the individual ministries welcome such an open discussion," stated the ministry, stressing that it is also in talks with its US counterparts. 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 airbases 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. am