Your Excellency, the Prime Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
With regard to the excellent relations between our countries, consider the fact that we have the privelege this evening to enjoy your distinguished company at the invitation of His Excellency, Prime Minister Fenech Adami, to be a unique opportunity for Slovakia, as well as a personal honour. Although Slovakia and Malta are relatively distant geographically, I am of the opinion that our countries have many common characteristics. Even though, throughout history, they have often found themselves under the influence of various power-political interests, they have succeeded in maintaining their identities and tolerance in areas of nationality, religion, culture, and language, along with self-respect and regard for those around them.
Development after the fall of the Berlin Wall, together with the endeavour towards a United Europe, constructed as a modern community of democratic states sharing common values, is wholly reflected by Slovakia and Malta in their efforts towards accession to the European Union. For us, Malta is a fine example of a small country with deeply rooted traditions of democracy and market economics, which is encouraging for both Slovakia and other small candidate countries.
Along with its endeavour towards European Union accession, Slovakia also has an exceptional interest, after its acceptance into the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development last year, in becoming - in the same way as our neighbours - a strong, dependable part of Euro-Atlantic defence structures, primarily represented by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We believe that through our own efforts, through cooperation with our partners, and with their understanding , we will be able to achieve this aim.
Diplomatic relations between Malta and the Slovak Republic were officially established on 1st January 1993, in other words, on the very day of the Slovak Republic's foundation. At the beginning , the level of mutual cooperation did not, and could not, reflect the capabilities and socio-economic potential of both countries. New impulses and significant dynamism were brought to our relations by the visit of the Slovak Foreign Minister, Eduard Kukan, to Malta in September 1999, and by your visit, Prime Minister, to Slovakia in May last year. Our relations reached their peak in March this year with the first official visit to the Slovak Republic by Malta's highest representative, His Excellency, President Guido de Marco, closely followed by the Speaker of the Maltese House of Representatives, the Honourable Anton Tabone.
Since these visits, economic cooperation between our countries has noticeably increased. Both have something to offer; for example, in the area of trade, we perceive possibilities to increase turnover in consumer goods, in foodstuffs, in the wood-processing industry, and naturally in tourism. We would also like to expand our mutual cooperation in areas of culture, education, health, science, and youth. I am pleased that in this area, specific contractual steps are already being prepared, or have already been successful, such as in the case of health care. At this point, I would like to express my appreciation for the helpful work of the Honorary Consulate of the Slovak Republic in Mellieha, under the direction of Mr Joseph Caruana, which has contributed to the development of contacts and mutual understanding.
Your Excellency, the Prime Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Please allow me to share with you my first impressions of my stay in your country. I would like to confirm and fully acknowledge the reputation it bears, one which is generally recognised, by stating that Malta is inhabited by good, sincere, talented, and hard-working people, with whom the Slovak Republic will always be pleased to work closely in all areas of mutual interest; moreover, Malta will always be able to depend upon Slovakia's support in the international community.
Your Excellency, the Prime Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
With this knowledge and with great personal pleasure, please permit me to raise my glass and drink a toast with you to the fruitful cooperation of Slovakia and Malta towards a higher quality of life for our citizens and benefits for both our countries; also to your health, happiness and satisfaction in life.
