The excellent relations between Greece and Slovakia and the possibilities for their further improvement were confirmed at President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou’s meeting with visiting Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova at the Presidential Mansion on Tuesday.
The two presidents discussed the important international, regional and European issues with emphasis on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its repercussions.
Sakellaropoulou noted that the Greek-Slovakian relations are characterised by constructive cooperation both on a bilateral and a multilateral level as the two countries share common principles and values and have the same commitment to international law.
In parallel, she underlined that “as EU member-states and allies in NATO we have sternly and unequivocally condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which disputes fundamental concepts of the internatioal law, such as the inviolability of borders and the rights of sovereign people to choose their political orientation”.
On her part, Caputova thanked Sakellaropoulou for the warm welcome and reiterated that relations between Greece and Slovakia are very close and constructive, expressing certainty that her visit to Greece will help to strengthen the relations between the two countries even further.
She also said that Greece for the Slovakians is a beautiful country which they love, it is not only a tourist destination but a place where they can create, particularly in business and in the sector of the economy”.
On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she said that “as country it impacts us directly as one of the two sides is our neighbour,” highlighting the refugee crisis triggered by the war and the fact that more than “700,000 Ukrainians passed through Slovakia and 90,000 of them have temporarily remained.”
She said that crises should be addressed through the close cooperation of countries that share the same values, noting that for this reason part of the delegation that accompanies her to Greece are people from various portfolios, from various agencies as well as enterpreneurs.
After the meeting, at a special event, President Sakellaropoulou decorated Caputova with the Grand Cross of the The Order of the Redeemer.
Οn her part the President of Slovakia decorated Sakellaropoulou with the Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross.
On Tuesday night, Sakellaropoulou hosted an official dinner at the Presidential Mansion in honour of the Slovakian president and her delegation.
Speaking at the official dinner, Sakellaropoulou pointed out that the revisionist policies of both Russia and Turkey, and Turkey’s illegal actions, are a challenge not only for Greece but for the entire European Union.
Both Greece and Slovakia, she added, “are closely cooperating for a strong North Atlantic Alliance, able to deal immediately and efficiently with any threat against its member states.”
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
