Slovakia proposes ‘V4 plus’ cooperation model to Bulgaria

During an official visit to Sofia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, accompanied by Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár and Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák, proposed an expanded cooperation model termed ‘V4 plus’ to Bulgaria. This initiative aims to involve Bulgaria in working-level and expert-level coordination with the Visegrad Group (V4) to strengthen negotiating power within the European Union, particularly regarding EU cohesion policies and the Multiannual Financial Framework.

The discussions also focused on defense and military technology. Minister Kaliňák noted Bulgaria’s successful maintenance of MiG-29 and F-16 fighter jets, suggesting Slovakia could adopt similar infrastructure models to improve its own combat readiness. Additionally, Bulgaria expressed interest in Slovak portable technologies for ammunition production, leading to an agreement to organize an industrial day during a future Bulgarian delegation visit to Slovakia.