Martin Klus: We appreciate the multi-faceted activities of our compatriots in Serbia and do not forget to support them as they are an important part of the Slovak Republic's[...]

"I was honored to welcome a delegation of our compatriots, Slovaks living in Serbia, at the diplomacy ministry. I was interested to hear from representatives of several compatriot institutions, which are active in the so-called Lowlands in Serbia, about their current activities and plans for the future. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic considers compatriot matters to be a very important part of our foreign and European policy and therefore, within our competences, we want to continue to have an active presence in the compatriot area and closely cooperate with the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad as well as other materially competent ministries."
This was stated by the State Secretary of the Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Ministry (MFEA SR) Martin Klus in Bratislava on Wednesday, 27 July 2022, after having met with a delegation of Slovak compatriots from Serbia, which was led by a bishop of the Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia (SECAV) Jaroslav Javorník. Along with representatives of several organizations and associations of Slovaks living in Serbia, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad led by the Chairman Milan Ján Pilip.
One of the topics tabled at the meeting was the issue of further support for infrastructural projects by Slovak compatriot communities in Serbia, including plans to establish a cultural center in Novi Sad as a new center of the Slovak community in the region.
"As for the importance of the Slovak minority in Vojvodina, we consider maintaining and developing close contacts and relations with our compatriots in this country to be one of our priorities. The Slovak diplomacy ministry naturally further supports the building of selected compatriot infrastructural projects and I believe that, jointly as well as in cooperation with the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad, all open issues will successfully be solved," stated the MFEA SR State Secretary Klus at the meeting with the compatriots.
Klus also highly appreciated the numerous activities by Slovak associations and organizations in the Lowlands, which help to maintain and develop the community, its minority as well as community life. With regard to the traditional August celebrations of Slovaks in Vojvodina - Slovak National Folklore Festival, which are under preparation, the State Secretary wished its organizers a successful festival, which will, once again, confirm the viability of the compatriot community in Serbia.