Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič held talks with Iceland’s President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson in Reykjavik. In the Bessastadir residence, the two presidents mainly discussed the pre-accession talks between Iceland and the European Union.

The purpose of the first ever official visit by a president of the Slovak Republic to this Nordic island country is to send a joint message of the heads of state calling for intensification of bilateral dialogue, especially in economic, and scientific and research cooperation, and to support Iceland’s efforts to join the European Union. “Amidst the lasting consequences of the global economic crisis we have to look for partners and strengthen economic cooperation with other countries. Therefore I am pleased that my first ever visit to Iceland will encourage further development in economic relations,” Ivan Gašparovič said in Reykjavik.

The Slovak President added that the two countries had good prospects for development of cooperation in economy and trade, as well as in the area of culture and education. According to Ivan Gašparovič, “Slovakia is particularly interested in Iceland’s experience with the utilisation of geothermal energy and other alternative energy sources.” Ivan Gašparovič told the President of Iceland of the achievements the Slovak economy had made thanks to its entry to the European Union. “The Slovak economy has become even more attractive after our entry to the Schengen area and adoption of the single European currency - the euro,” President Gašparovič said. Ólafur Grímsson pointed out that Iceland’s foreign policy priority was cooperation with smaller and medium-sized European countries, including Slovakia. “It is the new European Union Member States from Central Europe that have now assumed the initiative and become a driving force of development and transformation in the European community,” he added.

Ivan Gašparovič also met with Ásta Ragnheidur Jóhannesdóttir, the speaker of Iceland’s parliament, Althing. During the talks, he particularly mentioned our EU membership, “due to which Slovakia is now a successful country with the most dynamic economic growth in Europe.”

The Slovak President added that Slovakia could provide Iceland with its pre-accession experience “so that you do not have to learn from your own mistakes as we did.” Ásta Ragnheidur was interested in Slovakia’s approach to solving the Roma issue. Both the President and the Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister stressed that “Slovakia has applied a very sensitive and intensive approach to the Roma issue for nearly two decades since the change of the regime in the former Czechoslovakia and the establishment of an independent Slovak Republic. We were the first country in Europe to codify the Roma language, which is now also taught at universities, so that the Slovak Roma could be educated in their own language.”

According to Ivan Gašparovič, all Slovak governments have paid much attention and invested a lot of funds to address the Roma issue, but “the unwillingness of the Roma alone to learn and accept opportunities they are offered remains the major problem.”

The Slovak President was also received by Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir with whom he mainly discussed Iceland’s integration efforts and the need to further develop bilateral relations, especially in trade and economy.