The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, on the occasion of the death of Mr. Michal Kovac, the first democratically elected president of the Slovak Republic and one of the founders of the Movement for Democratic Slovakia, sent a letter of condolences to Mr. Andrej Kiska, President of the Slovak Republic.

Dear Mr. President,

With deep sorrow I learned of the death of one of the founders of the Movement for Democratic Slovakia and the first democratically elected president of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Michal Kovac.

Allow me, Mr. President, in this sad moment for you and for the Slovak people, on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and on my personal behalf, to extend my sincere condolences. At the dawn of independence of the Slovak Republic, President Kovac contributed to the democratization of the state and its European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Thanks to his efforts, the Slovak Republic today is an important and respected member of the European Union and NATO.

It was in his time that the Republic of Macedonia and the Slovak Republic established diplomatic relations, building on the deep roots of the Macedonian-Slovak friendship.

Please, Mr. President, convey the condolences to the friendly Slovak people and the family Kovac.

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov