The visit of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico to Baku shows that Slovakia is open to deepening its cooperation with Azerbaijan, Jozef Hrabina, Slovak expert and chief analyst at the Council of Slovak Exporters, told Report.

He noted that there are plenty of areas for potential cooperation and neither of the parties is shying away from developing areas such as gas exports, military industrial cooperation and technological exchange between the two countries.

"As the gas tranzit contract between Russia and Ukraine is due to expire next year, Slovakia amongst other Central and European countries turns to meet its gas consumption needs via the Caspian region, Azerbaijan in particular," he said.

The expert noted that Slovakia hopes for importing 5 bn cubic meters of gas that may potentially 'meet its gas consumption needs'.

Speaking about military cooperation, Hrabina noted that Slovakia offers demining devices BOZENA and self propelled howitzers ZUZANA and BIA.

In conclusion, the expert noted that there is definitely an appetite in Slovakia to improve the gas transportation infrastructure from other regions than Russia.

"Therefore STRING just like any other projects that would promote a gas diversification in the EU are going to play a big role in the post-war developments," he said.