I have the honour of taking up my duties as the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Slovak Republic on 15 March 2024.

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Slovakia, dating back to Slovakia’s establishment in 1993, were commemorated at the 30th anniversary in 2023. During these thirty years, our bilateral relations have flourished in various areas, notably in foreign policy, economy, trade and tourism. Further improving the good relations between Türkiye and Slovakia, two friendly and allied countries, will be my top priority during my tenure.

In 2023, our bilateral trade volume exceeded 2 billion Euros for the first time. However, we see even greater potential and aspire to achieve our bilateral trade target of 5 billion Euros within the shortest time possible.

Our Slovak friends are well-acquainted with the natural beauties and historical and cultural riches of our country. We are pleased by the fact that Türkiye is among the top holiday destinations for Slovak citizens. We will continue our efforts to boost this figure even more.

I am delighted to witness the great curiosity about Turkish culture in Slovakia. With such strong interest spanning from Turkish cuisine to TV series, it’s our responsibility to foster stronger connections between our communities by promoting our culture.

I would also like to touch upon the positive impacts to Slovakia of the Turkish community living in this country. Our citizens, who make significant contributions to the economic, cultural and social life of Slovakia, constitute an important dimension of our relations with Slovakia. Enhancing the activities and the prominence of our citizens in Slovakia will also play a crucial role in bolstering our bilateral ties.

On behalf of the Embassy and on my own behalf, I kindly extend to Slovak people and Turkish citizens my best regards and greetings.

Erkan Özoral

Ambassador