Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič paid the first-ever visit of a Slovak president to the Republic of Malta from 5-7 September 2011.
Gašparovič and his counterpart George Abela discussed European problems during the crisis.

The Slovak president said that “it is indeed in the times of economic and debt crisis that the EU countries should engage in close and intensive cooperation to be able to help each other”. He also thanked Abela for excellent cooperation during the evacuation of seven Slovaks from Libya in April this year.
In economic areas, both countries can capitalise on new opportunities that are opening up in the segment of higher added value industries, such as information technology and pharmaceuticals, as well as tourism. “Slovak tourists have already discovered Malta for themselves, and now it’s time for the Maltese to discover Slovakia,” said Gašparovič. He thinks Slovakia’s geothermal and healing springs, as well as ski resorts could be attractive for the Maltese.

The Slovak president also held talks with Maltese opposition leader Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. They discussed bilateral Slovak-Maltese relations, international policy issues and European affairs. Both representatives agreed that solutions should be sought for the debt crisis in some of the euro zone countries. “We are aware of the fact that rescuing euro is of great importance for both Slovakia and Malta,” the Slovak president said. Gašparovič and Abela also opened the Maltese-Slovak business forum.

The undertaking was organised by both countries’ chambers of commerce which signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the presence of the presidents. According to Abela, Slovakia and Malta have much in common. “Both countries joined the EU together, our economies are open and the entry into euro zone boosted both countries’ business opportunities,” Abela told some 50 Slovak and Maltese businesspeople. Gašparovič described Slovakia as a country which is geographically convenient for building central European logistics centres. During his visit to Malta, the Slovak head of state, accompanied by Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, met with a community of Slovaks living in Malta, as well as representatives of the Friends of Slovakia in Malta Association. Gašparovič thanked them for preserving the Slovak language and traditions even this far away from the homeland and said it was also them who made it possible for Slovakia to maintain friendly and good relations with Malta.