Czech President Václav Klaus and Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič met in Villa Tugendhat in Brno on 6 March 2013 to exchange the highest state decorations of their respective countries.

Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič presented the outgoing Czech President, Václav Klaus, with the Order of the White Double Cross of the First Class for his extraordinary contribution to the overall development of relations between the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

President Václav Klaus awarded his Slovak counterpart Ivan Gašparovič the Order of the White Lion of the First Class, the highest state decoration of the Czech Republic awarded to foreign personalities for their extraordinary contribution to the Czech Republic.
“I highly appreciate the award of the highest state decoration by Slovakia, the country that I like,” Václav Klaus thanked Ivan Gašparovič.

President Ivan Gašparovič expressed his gratitude for being awarded the Czech state decoration: “The Order of the White Lion is the recognition of mutual understanding, mutual respect and excellent cooperation for the benefit of both our nations. I consider it an accolade for the twenty years of fruitful cooperation and an acknowledgment of those beginnings that raised some concerns across Europe and globally,” the Slovak President said, adding he saw no reason not to honour those who had contributed to the excellent level of relations between the two countries.