Slovak PM Fico: no obstacles to private weapons exports

(Reuters) - Slovakia's new Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has pledged to halt the country's military aid for neighbouring Ukraine, said on Monday he had no intention of preventing private defence companies' exports.

NATO member Slovakia is home to makers of artillery ammunition as well as heavy military vehicles such as howitzers, some of which have been shipped to Ukraine.

Fico ran a campaign ahead of a Sept. 30 election, which his party won, criticising western support for Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and U.S. foreign policies.

Fico reiterated on Monday the country would halt any shipments from army storage to help Ukraine fight Russian aggression, but made clear private business was not to be affected.

"We have communicated very clearly and I want to communicate - we are talking about weapons, about ammunition from Slovak army storage, about state material," Fico said after an inaugural meeting with Defence Minister Robert Kalinak.

"When some company wants to make weapons and send them somewhere, nobody is going to obstruct that."

Fico said the government would make an inventory of Slovak equipment and ammunition stocks and prioritise replenishing those. He said strengthening the NATO country's air defence was another a priority.

The country's previous centre-right government was a staunch backer of Ukraine and supplied military equipment including fighting vehicles as well as an S-300 air defence system and MiG-29 jets.

Kalinak said he would look at existing commercial and political treaties because some did not give Slovakia an equal footing. He did not mention any examples.

Fico told Reuters ahead of the election he wanted to reopen the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States which gives the U.S. access to Slovak airports, similar to treaties most NATO members have but which Fico has criticised heavily.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)