V4 Senior Body discusses future cooperation on COVID-19 pandemic

State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Marian Majer spoke with his colleagues from the Visegrad Group in a video conference call today. This time, the main theme of the V4 Senior Body meeting was the response of the V4 countries to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated need to bolster regional defence cooperation.

State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Marian Majer said: “The developing pandemic situation clearly demonstrates the importance of civil-military cooperation and the need to build tools for strengthening the resilience of our society, whereas it is desirable for the said processes to evolve concurrently at the national, regional as well as EU and NATO levels.” At the same time, he expressed his conviction that “this trying experience can represent a solid basis for future strengthening of our readiness and competence in the field of handling crisis situations.”

Against this backdrop, Marian Majer underscored the SVK Armed Forces' engagement and input in the battle against the pandemic, whilst highlighting their duties at hospitals, border crossings and quarantine centres.

Alongside topics related to coronavirus, the State Secretaries devoted their attention to assessing the main priorities of the current Czech V4 Presidency. They particularly addressed the review of the V4 strategic documents, especially the Long Term Vision of V4 Countries on Deepening their Defence Cooperation. They also looked at the priorities of the V4 defence cooperation for the upcoming Polish V4 Presidency in the years 2020/2021.