On May 13, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Richard Raši, Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.

President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled the meetings held during his official visit to Slovakia last year, including his meeting with Richard Raši.

Commending the development of cooperation across various sectors, the head of state touched upon the role of interparliamentary relations in expanding bilateral ties based on mutual respect, friendship, and partnership.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the significance of Richard Raši’s visit to Azerbaijan with a large delegation, describing it as another testament to the partnership between the two countries.

Expressing gratitude on behalf of the delegation for the reception, the Speaker said they were honored to meet with the President of Azerbaijan.

Richard Raši also thanked President Ilham Aliyev for his first official visit to Slovakia.

Recalling with pleasure his previous visits to Azerbaijan, the Speaker mentioned that he had visited Shusha during his trip to the country in 2022. He stated that during this visit, he would also travel to Garabagh to familiarize himself with the ongoing restoration and construction efforts there, as well as the activities of Garabagh University in Khankendi.

Richard Raši congratulated the head of state on the achievements made regarding the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Expressing his gratitude for the congratulations, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the measures taken by Azerbaijan to strengthen peace, noting that trade relations have been established between the two countries, including the export of petroleum products from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

During the conversation, the sides emphasized that a strategic partnership has been established between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, and hailed the high level of political relations.

The participation of Slovak companies in the reconstruction of Bash Garvand village in Aghdam was highlighted as a manifestation of friendship between Azerbaijan and Slovakia.

During the meeting, the sides discussed cooperation within international interparliamentary institutions and exchanged views on expanding ties in the fields of economy, trade, energy, defense industry, education, humanitarian aid, modern technologies, culture, sports, tourism, and other areas.

It was noted that direct flights between Baku and Bratislava will soon be launched, which will contribute to the expansion of tourism and people-to-people contacts.