Slovaks share their experience of joining NATO

In 2006 Slovakia will allocate 120,000 euros to support Ukraine in the NATO admission proceedings, Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko said after a meeting with his Slovak counterpart, Juraj Liska. “We are always prepared to support Ukraine in all its undertakings and will do so using all possible means that are acceptable to both countries,” said the Slovak defense minister. When asked by Ukrainian journalists whether NATO standards require purchases of materiel from the alliance’s member states, representatives of the Slovak military replied that the main thing is to fulfill set tasks, and it doesn’t matter what country produces such equipment. That was why enterprises of the Slovak military-industrial complex did not suffer in any way after Slovakia became a NATO member; on the contrary, the Slovaks gained access to their partner countries’ market and are receiving orders for materiel, including new models.