Azerbaijan, Slovakia highlight stronger parliamentary cooperation PHOTO

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has met with Speaker of Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova as part of his official visit to Azerbaijan, with the two sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral ties and expanding parliamentary cooperation.

The meeting focused on the continued advancement of the Azerbaijan–Slovakia strategic partnership, with both officials emphasizing the importance of sustained political dialogue, high-level exchanges, and closer interparliamentary engagement, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Gafarova described relations between the two countries as friendly and mutually beneficial, noting that bilateral cooperation has gained significant momentum in recent years. She said the first official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Slovakia in December last year, followed by President Pellegrini's current visit to Azerbaijan, has ushered in a new phase in bilateral relations.

The discussions also highlighted the growing role of parliamentary diplomacy, including cooperation between parliamentary friendship groups, enhanced coordination among relevant committees, and greater engagement within international parliamentary organizations.

President Pellegrini praised the strong political dialogue between the two countries and reaffirmed Slovakia's interest in broadening cooperation with Azerbaijan across multiple sectors.

The Slovak leader also underlined the symbolic significance of beginning his official visit in Shusha, describing it as a particular honor to become the first head of state from a European Union member country to pay an official visit to the city.

Pellegrini expressed confidence that the meetings and agreements reached during his visit to Shusha would further strengthen bilateral relations and create new opportunities for cooperation.

Reflecting on his visit to the Karabakh region, the Slovak president commended the extensive reconstruction and restoration efforts underway, noting that the participation of Slovak companies in these projects stands as a tangible example of the expanding partnership between the two countries.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on a range of other issues of mutual interest.

By Vafa Guliyeva