Slovakia is one of Russia’s most important partners and is a reliable guarantor of Russian gas transit to European countries, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at an official dinner given by the Slovak president on Tuesday, reports ITAR-TASS.
“The Russian-Slovak relations are currently dynamically developing. These relations are based not only on the traditions of friendship, but also on mutually beneficial pragmatic cooperation,” the Russian president said.
“We are jointly working on strengthening European security, discussing ways of solving global economic problems, developing bilateral relations,” he stressed.
“Slovakia is one of our most important European partners, a key and, I stress, reliable link ensuring transit of Russian gas to Europe,” Medvedev said.
“It could rightly be said that relations between Russia and Slovakia are on the rise and can serve as an example for other Central and East European countries,” he added.
Medvedev noted an increased interest to Russia in Slovakia. “People are opening a new Russia, watching its current achievements, studying the Russian language, our culture and history,” he said.
According to the Russian president, “the two kindred peoples are united by both the common Slavic culture and the rich European history.” He reminded outstanding Slovaks who lived in Russia, such as Mikhail Baludyansky who was rector of the St. Petersburg University in the 19th century and was the first to elaborate the Russian legal terminology. “And your compatriot Dusan Makovetsky was not only Leo Tolstoy’s personal doctor during the latter’s last year, but also his friend and companion,” Medvedev noted.
The Russian president also said it was a great honor for him to be in Slovakia when it marked the anniversary of liberation of Bratislava “on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the Victory over fascism.” “If there was no Victory, we would have been living in a quite different society, and, moreover, we might not have existed at all,” he said.
“We are celebrating a common victory, which has cardinally influenced the development of society,” he stressed.
