President of the Slovak Republic Ivan Gašparovič has attended the summit of presidents of the Czech Republic, Croatia and Serbia.

The summit was held at the Lány Chateau, the Czech Republic. Ivan Gašparovič and the Czech host, President Václav Klaus, jointly expressed their full support to the integration of Croatia and Serbia in the EU.

According to the Slovak President, it is good that the presidents have managed to meet at the times of the EU facing a serious crisis, and to discuss mutual support and solutions to political and economic problems. According to the Czech President the current debt crisis in the euro area must not impede further enlargement of the European Union with new countries. "We are natural friends and allies. Our Slavonic solidarity should unite us now even more than ever before," Ivan Gašparovič said.

He noted that Slovakia had positive experience with its accession to the EU; therefore, Slovakia would be more than happy to share its knowledge with Serbia and Croatia.

Croatian President Ivo Josipović thanked his Slovak counterpart for the ratification of the accession agreement between Croatia and the EU which Ivan Gašparovič had signed on Friday, 17 February 2012. At the same time, he said he also hoped Serbia would soon join the EU as well. He added that many unresolved issues still prevailed in the Western Balkan region and that European integration of individual Balkan countries would accelerate and facilitate their solution.

Serbian President Boris Tadić emphasised that "we perceive our EU membership as a political investment that has both its benefits and drawbacks”. Integrating Serbia in the EU is, in his opinion, a reasonable issue and a great political ambition.

The Serbian President noted improvement in Serbia-Croatia bilateral relations, making reference to a positive example of a peaceful split-up of the former Czechoslovakia. This is the course the relations between Serbia and Croatia should follow in the future, said Tadić.

The admission of Croatia is, according to the Slovak President, an important step forward with respect to the accession of other Western Balkan countries to the EU as well. "The Slovak Republic expresses full solidarity with Serbia, therefore, we will not let Serbia's EU integration efforts get in the hands of Pristina" Ivan Gašparovič said.