By Trend

Slovak businesses show growing interest in Azerbaijani market, Slovakian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Milan Laj?iak told Trend.

"Slovakia and Azerbaijan recorded growing trade volume with number of successful business stories, which preceded COVID-19 pandemic. If I should put it in numbers, the trade volume in the period 2015-2020 achieved cumulatively around 170 mil. € with strong positive balance on Slovak side. In other words, yearly average of our trade volume was nearly 30 mil. €. Unfortunately, pandemic limitations negatively impacted our trade and the year 2021 was much lower than the above-mentioned average. The good sign is that currently we see gradual revival of our business activities as well as growing interest of Slovak businesses in Azerbaijan market. The Slovak – Azerbaijan Business Forum in October the last year during my visit to Baku showed clearly this promising trend," said the envoy.

He noted that the dominating items of Slovak export are cars, automotive components, precision instruments/machines and cables.

"Azerbaijan export to Slovakia is composed mostly of mineral fuels, dyes, textile and some agriculture products. We are looking now intensively for diversification of our businesses on both sides. As to the Trade houses, we exercise our economic diplomacy through Slovak diplomatic missions abroad in close cooperation with the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency SARIO. In our eyes, it is necessary to have first on both sides our diplomatic missions in our capitals to pursue and support economic goals. Subsequently, when we identify and reveal broader dimensions of cooperation between our countries, we can start to consider opening also Trade houses," said Laj?iak.