Official visit to Spain by the Slovak Chief of Defence

• Admiral Lopez Calderon has accompanied his Slovakian counterpart in the events and meetings he has attended.  

The Slovak Chief of Defence, General Daniel Zmeko, has paid an official visit to Spain where he had the opportunity to exchange views with senior Spanish military commanders on the deployment of our Armed Forces in his country.

The day began with a ceremony for the fallen in Madrid's Plaza de la Lealtad, where he and his Spanish counterpart, Admiral Teodoro E. Lopez Calderon, laid a laurel wreath offered by the Slovak Armed Forces at the monument to those who gave their lives for Spain.

They then headed to the Retamares Base where they were received by Lieutenant General Francisco Braco, Commander of the Operations Command. There they were given information about the Spanish Armed Forces, the contribution that Spain is going to make to the new model of Atlantic Alliance Force as well as the deployment of personnel and resources that our Armed Forces are carrying out in Slovakia.

From Operations Command, General Zmeko held a videoconference with NATO's Rapid Deployment Headquarters in Betera. Its Commander, Lieutenant General Garcia-Vaquero Pradal, briefed him on the composition, organisation and capabilities that the HQ has acquired as a headquarters for high-intensity operations.

The deployment of a NATO Rapid Deployment Headquarters team to Betera in Slovakia is expected to begin in the coming days. It will be the advanced coordination element of the high-intensity operations headquarters offered by Spain as a framework nation for NATO's deterrence and defence plans on the Eastern flank. This deployment demonstrates the firm commitment of Spain and its Armed Forces to our allies and Spain's determined contribution to the Alliance's deterrence efforts in Eastern Europe.

The Slovak Chief of Defence also visited the facilities of the Joint Cyberspace Command where he was received by its Commander, Vice Admiral Javier Roca Rivero.

Before the end of the visit to the Retamares Base, a ceremony took place in which the JEMAD, Admiral Teodoro E. Lopez Calderon, conferred the Cross of Military Medal with White Distinction to his Slovak counterpart.