BRATISLAVA - The President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, has commented on the issue of armaments and defense spending. He emphasized that strengthening Slovakia's defense capabilities must primarily serve to protect the country, its citizens, and maintain territorial integrity. According to him, decisions regarding defense investments should not be motivated by a desire to please foreign partners or fulfill the expectations of other countries.
Pellegrini stated that defense spending should be assessed based on whether it actually increases the security of the Slovak Republic. "We must arm ourselves for the defense of Slovakia, not for the pleasure of someone across the ocean," the president emphasized during his statement regarding the current debate on defense spending.
According to the president, it is essential to find a balanced approach between strengthening defense and maintaining economic stability. He pointed out that the arms industry can contribute to economic growth in the short term, for example, through new contracts, jobs, and investments. At the same time, he warned against shifting too many resources from the regular industry to the arms manufacturing sector.
Pellegrini noted that massive armaments could weaken the competitiveness of the European economy in the long term. According to him, it is necessary to take into account competition from China, other Asian countries, and the United States of America. If European states focused too many resources on the defense sector at the expense of the standard industry, it could have a negative impact on their economic development and ability to compete globally.
The president also noted that Slovakia is not among the countries that live in constant fear of an imminent attack. For this reason, he believes that it is not appropriate to approach defense spending solely from the perspective of escalating military capabilities. According to Pellegrini, it is important to seek a "healthy balance" that ensures the security of the state without disproportionately burdening the economy or limiting the development of other strategic sectors.
The president's statement comes at a time when European countries are discussing increasing defense budgets in response to the security situation in the region. Pellegrini's position emphasizes the importance of national interests and the need for Slovakia's defense policy to be based primarily on the country's domestic security needs and economic capabilities.