Slovakian president approves controversial military treaty with US

The agreement enables the United States to strengthen its military presence in the European country directly adjacent to Ukraine, in particular by expanding the two military airfields at Slyak and Kuchina. Opponents fear an American presence may be outside the control of Slovak laws and authorities.

After signing, the Slovak parliament still had to approve the contract. The majority are currently not considered safe. The three opposition parties represented in Parliament, as well as representatives of trade unions and anti-arms opponents, have been protesting against the treaty for several weeks. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also criticized him in the context of the evaluation procedures and recommended his rejection. It was drafted unilaterally in favor of the United States and restricts the sovereignty of the state of Slovakia. So President Caputova initially expressed her reservations.

A US proposal to bring in an additional 1,000 NATO troops to the country due to the Ukraine crisis has drawn additional criticism from the opposition and the protest movement. As a result, Slovakia will be drawn directly into the conflict, and the arsenals stationed in the country may also become the target of Russian attacks in the long term, they warned at several demonstrations.