President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič pays official visit to the Hellenic Republic

From 18 to 20 November 2008, President Ivan Gašparovič paid an official visit to the Hellenic Republic. The president of the Hellenic Republic said: “Your visit will be a strong drive for the development of cooperation in all areas.”

President Ivan Gašparovič confirmed that the Slovak Republic was interested in an intense dialogue with Greece regarding all areas of cooperation. “Greece is the birthplace of European history, culture and education and therefore we are pleased that our cooperation can develop,” the Slovak president said. According to Ivan Gašparovič, Slovakia particularly wishes to strengthen business and economic cooperation. “The Slovak Republic is due to access the Eurozone on 1 January 2009, which presents more possibilities for mutual cooperation,” the president said.

In the president’s opinion, Slovakia and Greece may find many possibilities for mutual investment and even joint investment in third party countries. The Slovak Republic would also like to intensify cooperation in the energy sector and defence industry. Ivan Gašparovič appreciated the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Government of Greece on cooperation in mechanical engineering and defence industries.

The president said that for Slovaks, Greece was one of the most popular holiday destinations abroad. The Slovak president said that even though our country has many natural and cultural attractions, we can see a significant disproportion in the number trips the Greeks take to Slovakia. Therefore the president offered a chance to invest particularly in tourism, and the hotel and spa industry.

Ivan Gašparovič invited the Greek President Karolos Papoulias for an official visit to the Slovak Republic which he was pleased to accept.
The Slovak president also met with the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis. He awarded the Slovak president a Golden Medal for Merit of the city of Athens.

 Ivan Gašparovič opened the Slovak and Greek economic forum.
The president informed participants that they should see his attendance at the economic forum as a convincing sign of Slovak interest in intensifying cooperation, but also as a certain imperative that this development is an absolute necessity for Slovak and Greek mutual relations.

Ivan Gašparovič also met with the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Dimistris Sioufas. Bilateral relations in the context of EU membership were the main topic of discussion. President Ivan Gašparovič confirmed that the development of interparliamentary cooperation was needed. The Slovak president received from the Speaker of the Greek Parliament a golden medal of the Hellenic Parliament – to honour the firm anchoring of the Slovak Republic in the family of democratic countries, as well as to acknowledge the contribution of Slovakia to the strengthening of democratic principles in the dynamic development of our society and the world.

 
The Slovak president held talks with the Greek Prime Minister Konstandinos Karamanlis and paid a visit to Thessaloniki. The Mayor of Thessaloniki, Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, awarded him a ‘Golden Key’ to the city and thus an honorary citizenship of Thessaloniki. At the town hall, Ivan Gašparovič emphasised the significance of the legacy of the brothers from Thessaloniki, who formed and shaped our knowledge of history and thus our path to the present, a very important and binding fact.

The president also met with the Minister of Macedonia and Thrace, Margaritis Tzimasand, and with the Metropolitan Bishop Anthimos of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Thessaloniki in the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius.
Ivan Gašparovič said: “Everybody in Slovakia knows the two brothers from Thessaloniki – Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius – who in the mid-ninth century elevated our nation spiritually and culturally to the level of other nations.”

Ivan Gašparovič also had a meeting with the opposition leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement PASOK, George Papandreou. Mr. Papandreou appreciated the activities of our soldiers within the peace mission in Cyprus as well as in Kosovo, where they help to ensure peace in the region. “It is a proof that Slovakia is interested in being active in its foreign policy, and in finding answers to world security matters,” Papandreou said.

At the end of the official visit to the Hellenic Republic Ivan Gašparovič said that his impressions and feelings from the trip to Greece exceeded all his expectations, and he was looking forward to further cooperation. Slovakia and Greece are members of all important international institutions and, according to the Slovak president, after we access the Eurozone on 1 January “there is nothing in the way in the development of our relations on all levels.” However, Ivan Gašparovič thinks that our bilateral relations still need to be improved, particularly in the area of economy.