Israel granted Slovakia permission on Thursday to open an office of its embassy in Jerusalem.
Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll gave the official authorization letter to Slovakian Ambassador Igor Maukš.
“This is an important step in Israel-Slovakia relations and another important step in the international recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Roll stated. “The Slovakian mission will promote cultural, technological and economic cooperation for the good of both nations.”
Slovakia pledged to open a cultural office in Jerusalem in 2018, after then-US president Donald Trump recognized the city as Israel’s capital and put pressure on the international community to follow suit.
US President Joe Biden has not continued the pressure, but former foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi raised the matter with Slovakian Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, and current Foreign Minister Yair Lapid also spoke to him about it.
In July, Bratislava announced that it was upgrading its representation in Jerusalem to an office of its embassy, under the auspices of its Foreign Ministry.
“Slovakia is deepening relations with #Israel by opening the Slovak Institute in #Jerusalem on September 1, 2021,” Korcok tweeted in July, adding that Slovakia “continues to support the resumption of Middle East Peace Process & 2-state solution in line w/international law.”
Only four countries have embassies in Jerusalem: the US, Guatemala, Honduras and Kosovo, while Equatorial Guinea and Malawi said they would, as well.
In recent years, the Czech Republic and Hungary opened offices of their Tel Aviv embassies in Jerusalem, and Brazil opened a trade mission.
The EU, of which Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are member states, oppose any change in the diplomatic status of Jerusalem unless it follows a two-state solution.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.