Slovakia to send demining specialists to Azerbaijan, ambassador says

Slovakia plans to send defence ministry specialists to Azerbaijan to help clear mines from liberated territories in Karabakh, Slovak Ambassador Elchin Gasimov has said.

Speaking to local media during a visit to the Karabakh region by a delegation of foreign diplomats, Gasimov said the defence ministries of Slovakia and Azerbaijan had reached an agreement on the matter.

“There is an agreement to send specialists from our Defence Ministry to help with demining territories in Karabakh,” he said.

He said the project would benefit both sides, with Slovakia providing assistance while its defence ministry team gained practical experience.

“Our country will help the Azerbaijani side, while our team from the Defence Ministry will simultaneously gain practical experience,” Gasimov added.

The ambassador also said Slovakia planned to hold talks with Azerbaijan in September on gas purchases.

He described supplies of natural gas from Azerbaijan as one of the key areas of bilateral cooperation between Baku and Bratislava.

“Our main priority on the agenda is, of course, gas cooperation with Azerbaijan,” he said, adding that Slovakia’s deputy minister would attend an investment forum in Baku on 25–26 September and representatives of Slovak gas company SPP would hold meetings with the Azerbaijani side.

Gasimov also said Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák was expected to visit Azerbaijan at the end of September to attend the sixth Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition (ADEX 2026).

“Yes, it is expected,” he said when asked about the planned visit.

By Aghakazim Guliyev