President of the Slovak Republic on State Visit to the Republic of Italy

President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič with his wife Silvia Gašparovičová paid a state visit to the Republic of Italy on 27 February – 1 March 2007. It was the first state visit ever of the President of the Slovak Republic to Italy. The President met with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. In their talks, the euro-integration topic resounded as Italy was one of the establishing member states of the EU. President Giorgio Napolitano declared for the EU’s further enlargement, and appreciated the fact that Slovakia as a new EU member state can build on already well developed relations with Italy. In addition, he acknowledged the acceptance the Italian businessmen met with in Slovakia. President Ivan Gašparovič spoke for extending the cooperation between Slovakia and Italy by other areas of culture, education and tourism. Both Presidents agreed there is a further potential for investments in banking and industrial fields. Italy rates the Slovak Republic among its privileged partners with possibilities of opening new markets. During the discussion with his Italian counterpart, President Ivan Gašparovič mentioned also the need to reform international institutions. Regarding the Constitution for Europe, President Ivan Gašparovič remarked that Slovakia is ready to ratify this document, though its future will depend on the attitudes of all the EU member states.
In this connection, Giorgio Napolitano recognized the fact the European Parliament had passed the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, and added that without this document the EU would function only with difficulties. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano awarded Ivan Gašparovič with the state award of the Republic of Italy, Order of the Grand Cross of Merit (Knight of the Grand Cross). The Slovak President awarded his counterpart with the Order of White Double Cross of the 1st Class. At the end of the meeting, President Ivan Gašparovič invited the Italian President to a visit to the Slovak Republic.
Then, President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič met with Speaker of the Senate of the Italian Parliament Franco Marini. During their meeting, they referred to the level of the Slovak-Italian relations. According to Franco Marini, the mutual contacts are over-standard, and compared to other EU countries, they are very good.
The Slovak President also met with Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament Fausto Bertinotti. They talked about strengthening the relations between the Slovak and Italian Parliaments. They also discussed the positions of national parliaments against the European Parliament, which is not dealt with by the current Constitutional Treaty for Europe.
The programme of the Slovak President’s state visit to Italy included also the meeting with Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni. The President and the Mayor talked together about intensifying the cooperation between Bratislava and Rome as well as the reform of public administration. In Rome, Ivan Gašparovič met also the President of Confindustria, the Italian Association of Industry, Luco Cordero di Montezemolo. They discussed the development of the Slovak-Italian economic cooperation and trade exchange. They agreed that both, Slovakia and Italy offer good business opportunities to small and medium enterprises, but also large concerns.
During his visit, President Ivan Gašparovič opened the Slovak-Italian Economic Forum attended by representatives of 15 Slovak companies, the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), and Eximbank. Ivan Gašparovič believes that the mutual economic cooperation has good prospects.
In Rome, the Slovak President met with Prime Minister Romano Prodi, too. He congratulated him on settlement of the government crisis and his continuance in office. Moreover, they talked about the security situation in the world, the solutions to the problems of Afghanistan and Iraq, the stabilization in the Middle East, and the issue of Kosovo. Referring to Kosovo, Romano Prodi remarked that any discussion could only start with the latest Ahttisari’s report. However, it is needed to “forget about the past, as the underestimation of Serbia is a silly thing”. President of the Slovak Republic Ivan l Gašparovič said that a rigorous and fast decision thrusting upon Serbs conditions they do not agree with would not contribute to stabilizing the situation in the Balkans.
The Slovak President’s state visit continued with visiting Bologna where he met with Rector of the University of Bologna Pier Ugo Calzolari. In the historical library of the University, the Slovak President was awarded the Sigillum Magnum – the Great Golden Seal. Then, the Slovak President delivered a speech to the members of the academic community. „It was your university which takes credits for Alexander Dubček’s return from the sideline to the world’s attention in November 1989. These were the times when we, the country and the nation, were in a real need of it. You received him as a patriot, a democrat, a humanist. In other words, as a dedicated European. We recall your gesture many a time,” said Ivan Gašparovič.
Finally, Ivan Gašparovič concluded with his speech a business forum in the seat of the Emilia-Romagna Region. The Slovak head of state expressed his conviction about the need to make the business contacts with Slovakia, for which there are currently very good conditions, more intensive.