Azerbaijan and Slovakia may set up joint ventures in the defense industry, Slovak political analyst Jozef Hrabina told Report, while assessing the relations between the two countries and the prospects for bilateral cooperation.
According to him, Azerbaijan is today regarded as one of Slovakia"s key partners in its European neighborhood:
"Several Slovak media outlets described President Ilham Aliyev"s visit to Bratislava as a sign of strong partnership. Some even referred to Azerbaijan as a Slovak ally. The South Caucasus region holds an important place in Prime Minister Robert Fico"s foreign policy, which is aimed at expanding and diversifying international ties. Against this backdrop, cooperation in the defense sector is particularly notable. Moreover, the level of mutual trust allows Slovak defense companies to carry out technology transfers."
The expert noted that the potential cooperation is focused on two main areas:
"Firstly, Slovakia supplies Azerbaijan with defense products. Secondly, the sides are discussing the establishment of joint ventures, which would involve relocating part of the production to Azerbaijan in exchange for investment, as well as transferring certain technologies to local partners."
Hrabina emphasized that the Slovak defense industry is experiencing a boom amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, and its combat-tested technologies are of interest to Azerbaijan:
"Azerbaijan is the strongest military player in the South Caucasus, so reliable, proven defense technologies are especially valuable for it. Slovakia, in turn, can benefit from expanding its production in a stable and predictable economic environment. Here, it is possible to count on predictable energy tariffs, resilient production resources, and a qualified workforce."