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Conclusion

Slovakia has long supplied weapons to human rights abusers and areas of violent conflict marked by violations of international humanitarian law, but until recently it was spared international scandal. That changed when the United Nations exposed a network of arms traffickers who took advantage of lax rules to organize illegal arms purchases for Liberia. The government, spurred by this case, has recognized that it must take steps to combat the illegal arms trade. Preventing illicit arms trading will require major reforms. Some important measures have been adopted, but major legal changes are needed, as are regulatory improvements and strict enforcement. Controlling the activities of transport and brokering companies will be key, as will be the fight against corruption and other measures. Moreover, the Slovak government must not stop at tackling illicit trade. It also should enforce higher standards for authorized arms deals, many of which involve sales of surplus weapons from military arsenals. Improved transparency will help combat illegal trading and will permit Slovakia’s citizens and international partners to evaluate if it is engaging responsibly in the arms trade. Such reform measures should be viewed as part of the process of integrating into NATO and the E.U., as these organizations themselves have argued. The time has come for Slovakia to come to terms with the full scope of its arms trade problems and to fully address them as it integrates into western institutions.