Strengthening law enforcement cooperation between Viet Nam and Slovakia

During the visit, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung held talks with Slovak Minister of the Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok. 

At the talks, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung emphasized that Viet Nam–Slovakia relations had made significant progress since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1950, particularly following their elevation to a Strategic Partnership in April 2026. 

On that basis, the two Ministries have maintained delegation exchanges and shared experience in combating transnational crime, hi-tech crime, drug-related crime and terrorism, while also cooperating in equipment assistance and capacity building for firefighting and rescue operations. 

At the talks, the two sides reviewed cooperation between the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam and the Slovak Ministry of the Interior and discussed measures to meet crime prevention and combat requirements in the new situation.

To improve coordination, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung proposed increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, supporting each other at multilateral forums and international organizations, and jointly organizing training courses on cybersecurity, counterterrorism, digital transformation and the application of information technology to safeguarding security and maintaining order.

He also called for more effective use of INTERPOL channels to exchange information, coordinate investigations and handle cases involving citizens of the two countries, as well as apprehend, extradite and return fugitives in accordance with the law.

Regarding education and training, the Vietnamese side requested that the Slovak Ministry of the Interior increase training places and support capacity building for Vietnamese public security officers, particularly in firefighting and rescue operations.

Regarding this issue, Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok affirmed his readiness to provide training support and share experience and modern technologies in this field.

The two sides also discussed coordination in ensuring the safety of senior leaders’ visits and diplomatic missions and protecting the lawful rights and interests of their citizens.

Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung requested Slovakia’s continued sharing of information on terrorist threats and transnational crime in support of security arrangements for events during APEC 2027, hosted by Viet Nam.

At the talks, Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok noted that numerous cooperation activities had been actively implemented since his talks with Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang in Slovakia in September 2025. 

In response to emerging crime trends and the practical organizational and operational requirements of the two Ministries, the Slovak side proposed reviewing, updating and signing a renewed agreement on combating crime.

Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung suggested explorin the possibility of upgrading the existing agreement to an intergovernmental agreement on combating crime to elevate cooperation and strengthen its legal force. 

The two leaders agreed to assign relevant units to discuss and agree on an approach to negotiations and draft the document for signing.

* During the working trip, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung and the delegation also visited the Slovak Police Museum in Bratislava and met with First State Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of the Interior Lucia Kurilovská.

Highly valuing the museum’s operational model, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Hung described it as a useful reference for developing the new People’s Public Security Museum. 

He proposed stronger exchanges on digitizing documents and artifacts, developing digital museums and online exhibitions, and applying technology to displays and visitor interaction.