The Official Visit of the President of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of Estonia

The President of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Gašparovič, commenced the programme of his official visit to the Republic of Estonia with discussions with President Arnold Rüütel in Kadriorg, the Presidential Palace in Tallin. At the meeting, the Estonian President stressed that the relationship between the two countries had been strengthened as a result of the similarities in their recent history. At the same time he congratulated the Slovak Republic on attaining the position of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. At the meeting, President Ivan Gašparovič expressed his pleasure at what was, historically, the first official meeting between the top representatives of the two countries. He thanked Estonia for its support in Slovakia’s successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The Presidents drew attention to the increased development of bilateral relations following European Union accession, which creates favourable conditions for further developments in economic cooperation, whereby both countries expect this cooperation to further significantly increase in this year.

The partners discussed the possibilities for extending cooperation in the area of investments. President Arnold Rüütel declared Estonia‘s interest in constructing the Via Baltica highway by way of Poland, and Slovakia to Hungary. Both Presidents also expressed interest in the growth of relations in the areas of culture and tourism. At the meeting, both Presidents declared their support for the reform of European institutions. They concurred on the view that the new EU Member States had brought a new, dynamizing spirit to the EU. The Presidents of Estonia and Slovakia also confirmed their interest in increased cooperation between the Visegrad V4 group and the Baltic B3 group as well as agreeing on the importance of supporting the proposal for the EU’s New Financial Perspective for 2007-2013.

The President of the Slovak Republic conferred a national honour on the President of the Republic of Estonia – the Order of the White Double Cross, 1st class. The President of the Republic of Estonia awarded the President of the Slovak Republic with the Order of the Marian Land Cross.

President Ivan Gašparovič met the Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, Andrus Ansip, and the Speaker of the Parliament, Ene Ergma, over a working lunch. They discussed relationships between the new EU Member States, and relationships between national parliaments and the European Parliament, as well as the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. Speaker Ergma said: “The EU needs a common foreign policy and a common Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is, necessary, therefore, to find a way to achieve consensus in the EU on a document similar to today’s failed European Constitution.”

In the afternoon, both Presidents took part in the opening of the Slovak-Estonian Economic Forum which was also attended by entrepreneurs from Slovakia, a fact appreciated by the Estonian President, who commented also on the results of the Slovak reforms, and their impact, especially in the boom in the automobile industry. In his address, President Ivan Gašparovič underlined the significant successes which the Republic of Estonia had achieved during the transformation process. He also stressed that the Slovak Republic is a country not only open for internal investment but able to invest abroad also on its own accord. At the end of his address, he expressed his conviction that joint EU membership and the advantages ensuing from the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour would likewise contribute to developing greater forms of cooperation.

The agenda of the official visit of the President of the SR to the Republic of Estonia also included his laying a wreath at the monument to the teachers and students who lost their lives during the fight for Estonia’s independence in the 1990s.