Malta's Ambassador at Slovak National Day celebrations

Dr Francis Cachia, Malta's non-resident Ambassador to Slovakia, together with his wife Lilian, recently attended a reception in Bratislava, the Slovak capital, hosted by President Gasparovic and Mrs Gasparovicova, the Speaker of the Slovak Parliament and Mrs Paskova and Prime Minister and Mrs Ficova, on the occasion of Slovakia's National Day.

At the start of the reception, in speeches delivered in Slovak, simultaneously translated into English, the President, Speaker and Prime Minister explained in turn the significance of Slovakia's National Day, which commemorates the adoption of the present highly democratic constitution of the country.

During the reception, Ambassador Cachia had the opportunity to meet Slovak high officials as well as to thank President Gasparovic personally.

Ambassador and Mrs Cachia were officially received by the mayor of Bratislava, Andrej Durkovsky, and the deputy mayor, Stefan Holcik, at the town hall. Ambassador and Mrs Cachia also attended the external celebrations of Slovakia's National Day that went on for about four days.

The highlight of these celebrations was the re-enactment of the coronation of the Kings of Hungary in Bratislava, then known as Pressburg, from 1563 to 1830. Deputy Mayor Stefan Holcik, who is considered an authority on Slovak history, gave Ambassador and Mrs Cachia a detailed tour of the Primate's Palace, which now houses the town hall and gave them an autographed copy of the German version of his book on the crowning of Hungarian kings in Bratislava.

Ambassador Cachia later had important talks with Prime Minister Robert Fico, Foreign Minister Jan Kubis and Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek.