Boris Tadić, the President of Serbia, received Slovakia’s head of state Ivan Gašparovič in the Palace of Federation.

Both politicians agreed that relations between both countries are based on the historical tradition of the Slavic mutuality. Our top official reiterated that Slovakia’s position on Kosovo remains unchanged and that the province had not gained independence based on the principles of international law.

Ivan Gašparovič said the Slovak Republic filed a written statement with the International Court of Justice in The Hague in which it presented its national position on the issue of elaborating an advisory opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.

The Slovak President in Belgrade expressed his opinion on topical events that might remove hurdles to Serbia’s entry into European structures. President Tadić finds integration into the EU to be “the most serious strategic goal, while the second goal is preservation of Serbia’s territorial integrity in relation to the province of Kosovo.”

The two presidents at their meeting in Belgrade also talked about expatriate issues, since the over-two million population of the Serbian Vojvodina includes more than 63,000 Slovaks – the largest community of Slovak expatriates in the world. “I admire Serbian Slovaks, since they are loyal citizens of Serbia,” stated President Tadić in this connection.

Mr. Gašparovič also held talks with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković. According to the Slovak President, Slovakia supports the European Union’s enlargement into new countries, including Serbia. In his words, “those countries that wish to join the Union and meet membership requirements should be admitted.”

The Slovak President also addressed participants at the Serbian-Slovak business forum. Along with him, Serbian Prime Minister Cvetković also took part in the event, attended by over 200 business people from Serbia and Slovakia. Mr. Gašparovič is sure that “there is still room for enhancing our trade relations. I see increased opportunities in new investments and I believe that the local Slovak minority could significantly help us.” Mr. Gašparovič met the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Slavica Đukić Dejanović, and he reassured her of Slovakia’s support for the integration efforts of Serbia.

The agenda of the Slovak President’s official visit also included a visit to Novi Sad, where he met the Chairman of the Executive Council of Vojvodina, Bojan Pajtić.

The Slovak President at the meeting stressed the importance of the visit to Vojvodina with the largest community of Slovak expatriates in the world. At the end of his visit to Novi Sad in Serbian Vojvodina, Mr. Gašparovič, together with his Serbian counterpart Mr. Tadić and the Chairman of the Executive Council of Vojvodina, Bojan Pajtić, met Slovak expatriates.

During the meeting, he expressed his thanks to the Serbian Government for the care it pays to the Slovak community. “I also appreciate those Slovaks who live here for preserving their relationship to the home country and the culture of their parents. I would also like to thank them for being proud and responsible Serbs, since such a minority is always precious,” stressed President Gašparovič. He added that “this is the identity of Serbian Slovaks: being able to represent both cultures – the culture of Serbs and the culture of Slovaks.”