Last year, prime minister Robert Fico has stressed, that Slovakia has nothing to do with conflicts in Syria or Libya. Now he is quiet.

Where do the arms, which Slovakia sells abroad really end up? Officially disclosed documents and the reality are most likely different. The findings of international team of journalists, that they are being used in Middle East conflicts including Syria, are not denied by analysts which consider them probable. However, Slovak authorities are denying the claims. Czech center for investigative journalism has noticed mass export of Czechoslovakian arms to the conflict zones of Middle East. The ministry of economy says, on the contrary, that the origin of the evidence is unknown, but considers them unreliable. We have knowledge, that the organization, which is behind this list, is publishing information before the results of its investigation”, said Michal Dzurjanin from the PR department. The ministry of economy is the entity, that allows arms export to foreign countries. It has issued permission for arms trade to 28 companies, just in past year. Last year, Saudi Arabia has seen import worth €17 mil., which represents half of the volume of Slovakia´s last year arms export. Even in 2013, the government agreed for biggest arms export, also to Saudi Arabia. However, during 10 year period before 2013, there was no export to Saudi Arabia from Slovakia.

This country (SA) is the source of instability, according to the German secret service. “Ministry of economy allowed the arms export for Saudi Arabia, on the basis of legitimate documents, and the government of Saudi Arabia has officially confirmed the delivery”, says Dzurjanin.

Hidden re-export?

The weapons and ammunition from Easter Europe was identified by international team of journalists, on many photographs or videos from war-torn region. They have also analyzed flights from Czech and Slovak republic, which should allegedly carry the arms. The arms also found their way to conflict zones by re-export via Balkan route – Serbia and Croatia. Ministry of economy says, that each request for license of arms export requires certificate of end user, with so-called anti re-export addendum. Documents, which became available to investigative journalists confirm, however, that the re-export is taking place. “According to the reliable sources, we have no information, that arms exported with corresponding permission, would end up outside Saudi Arabia”, said Dzurjanin. However, he didn´t want to explain, why would Saudi Arabia´s modern and well equipped army need old Czechoslovak arms.

Army is selling as well

The data of ministry of economy concern also arms, being sold by Slovakian army. Ministry of defense is selling them only to the subjects with companies with corresponding certification, thus the responsibilities for where they end, lies on the shoulders of ministry of economy. According to the available data, in 2011 alone, has Slovak army sold 100 000 pcs of assault rifles, submachine and machine guns. Since than, it has been selling arms in smaller quantities. Mainly grenades and machine guns.

Fico is putting hands off

Slovakia denies responsibility for Middle East security situation for years. The prime minister Robert Fico has even advocated negative attitude towards accepting refugee. “What does Slovakia in common, with what happens in Libya, Iraq or Syria? Absolutely nothing. Did we bomb the Libya? Did we topple the Iraqi regime? Did we destabilize situation in Syria? Do we have any relations to those territories? We bear no responsibility for the condition, of which those countries are in”, said Fico.

Security analyst and activist Martin Dubeci perceives as a problem, that Slovakia´s attitude is clearly in contradiction with what it declares and what it does. “Such export would be fine, if we openly admitted it and had a mandate for it from our foreign partners”, said Dubeci. The off-putting fact is, that while Slovakia condemns military assistance to any fighting party in Ukraine, with other countries, where it is actively involved, denies the responsibility.

While Dubeci sees the need for more strict control of Slovak arms export, analyst Jaroslav Nad from Slovakian institute for international security affairs says, that Slovakia has good process of arms export. “Export rights will not be issued to the country or company that is on any sanction list”, he recalls. Further expansion of Slovak arms producers would be seen as a success of domestic companies, since the arms are commodity as any other. “If some country decides to re-export our arms to the third parties, there is unfortunately nothing we can do”, says Nad.