Caputova Thanks Duda for Constructive Cooperation During Challenging Times

Warsaw, April 16 (TASR-correspondent) - Slovakia and Poland share a common history that teaches both countries to remember principles and values and the need to protect them, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said during her farewell meeting with her Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in Warsaw on Tuesday, adding that if the two countries fail to do so, they may jeopardise their future. Poland is a key partner for Slovakia for several reasons, Caputová stressed. She thanked Warsaw in particular for protecting Slovak airspace together with other allies in a difficult period. The Slovak president said that relations between Slovakia and Poland have held up very well despite challenging times and crises in recent years. She noted that this year Warsaw and Bratislava commemorate several round anniversaries, including their respective accession to NATO and the EU as well as the Warsaw and Slovak National Uprisings. Caputova said that she hopes the Slovak government and president-elect Peter Pellegrini, who will take office in mid-June, will continue good, close and constructive cooperation with Poland. Duda thanked Caputova for five years of cooperation and active participation in regional groupings. He stressed that Poland was one of the first countries she visited after her election and that she was paying a farewell visit to Warsaw before leaving office. He praised this as a sign of interest in Poland not only as a neighbour but also as a friend. On this occasion, Duda presented Caputova with the highest Polish state decoration, the Order of the White Eagle, for her development of good relations between Slovakia and Poland. zel/mcs