Ambassador Gabriella Sancisi - Slovakia
The ambassador
Gabriella Sancisi
See the curriculum vitae of ambassador Sancisi on rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch)
Meet the ambassador
One of the world’s youngest countries, Slovakia celebrated 30 years of independence in 2023. The Dutch King and Queen paid a state visit to Slovakia from 7 to 9 March 2023. ‘It’s a big milestone, a time to celebrate our partnership and to launch new plans and activities together,’ said Dutch ambassador Gabriella Sancisi. The two countries work together closely on issues like press freedom, disinformation and the circular economy.
What areas do Slovakia and the Netherlands cooperate on?
'We work together in a many areas. For example, sanctions against Russia or defence matters. We also cooperate on protecting journalists, ensuring gender equality and equal rights for LGBTI people.
The state visit to Slovakia coincided with International Women’s Day (8 March). The programme for that day included a discussion on gender equality and women’s rights between the King and Queen and young Slovaks. Later that day the King and Queen met with friends and relatives of two LGBTI people who were murdered in Bratislava in 2022.
Disinformation is another issue that we were spotlighting during the state visit. We are looking at what can the government do to not only systematically unmask disinformation but also to help its citizens to spot fake news, starting with a learning module for school children.
The third pillar of our partnership is trade, particularly the circular economy and sustainability, areas where Slovakia plays an innovative role. We can see examples of this in the construction sector, in the waste processing industry and also in the area of climate action.’
Can you give an example of something the Netherlands and Slovakia cooperate on?
‘Six years ago an investigative journalist, Ján Kuciak, was murdered here. He was in the process of exposing a major corruption scandal. His murder led to a public outcry. In the Netherlands we unfortunately had a similar experience with the murder of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries.
In both countries we realise that freedom of the press is one of the cornerstones of democracy. A few years ago the platform PersVeilig was established in the Netherlands. It’s a partnership between the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ), the police and the Public Prosecution Service, and it helps journalists deal with and protect themselves from threats, both physical threats and aggressive messages on social media for example.
During the state visit we launched a similar mechanism here in Slovakia. This would be an example of a concrete result of the work we do together and, of course, the state visit.’
What can the embassy do for Dutch businesses?
‘We can answer trade-related questions, big and small. Slovakia is a Schengen country and part of the Eurogroup, so it’s quite an accessible market. Dutch companies looking to market their products here can consult us. We can offer advice and brainstorm solutions with them.
We can help them find a suitable location for their business, for example, or make the right contacts with the national or local authorities. The embassy can open doors that would ordinarily stay shut.
There are many commercial opportunities in the construction and waste management sectors in Slovakia. This is why we commissioned a market survey in these areas.’