Blanar: Austria and Slovakia Seek Cooperation on Joint Infrastructure Projects

Berlin, April 23 (TASR) - Slovakia and Austria aim to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, with a particular focus on infrastructure projects to improve road and rail connections, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated on Wednesday following a bilateral meeting with Austrian Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger. Blanar considers the current connection between Slovakia and Austria insufficient and said both sides aim to identify key infrastructure projects for joint development and funding at their next meeting. He noted that better links would boost cross-border and trade development, welcomed Austria's progress on the S8 expressway, and highlighted the modernisation of the Bratislava–Vienna railway. The minister praised Slovakia's relations with Austria, which he described as very good. He thanked the Austrian side for its prompt assistance regarding foot-and-mouth disease and highlighted the strong economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, while noting there's still room for improvement. The ministers also discussed border checks related to illegal migration, agreeing that they're necessary. They emphasised that illegal migration should be addressed at the EU level. Both expressed hope that cross-border cooperation between the two countries' emergency medical services will begin soon. They also discussed energy issues and current foreign policy matters. lin