In his address at the award-giving ceremony, also marking the 10th anniversary of Slovakia's entry to the European Union, President Gašparovič said that the ten years “were not easy but their greatest benefit for Slovakia is that we joined a community that does everything in order to ensure peace across Europe, to respect human and civil rights and to spread the rule of democracy in the world.”

José Manuel Barroso highlighted the need for unity, “because it is only then that we can work together with our global partners as we are today the largest source, as well as the largest recipient of foreign direct investments, and we are able to help third countries this way.”

He further stressed the importance of EU countries taking a joint action as “it is the only way we can show what the EU is capable of, what capacities it has and can push its nations and countries forward.” In this context, he appreciated the changes the Slovak Republic has gone through since its accession to the EU, and thanked all the Slovak citizens for that.

During plenary talks, the Slovak President reiterated he appreciated all the things the European Union had done for the Slovak Republic. The Commission President thanked Ivan Gašparovič for having been a staunch supporter of the European Union throughout his entire office term and for having acted as a “factor of stability”, defending the positions of an EU member country, even with governments changing in Slovakia.