President Pellegrini Departs for First Official Visit to Italy as Head of State

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini left for Rome on Tuesday morning for his first official visit to Italy as head of state, which is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, including by boosting economic and university exchanges. The president will be accompanied on his working trip (January 14-16) by Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) and Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD), along with representatives of business organisations, universities and educational institutions. During the visit, Pellegrini is set to hold talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. He'll also meet mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri and President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana. The president's programme will include the laying of a wreath on the Altar of the Fatherland, where the Czechoslovak Legions and the first Czechoslovak Republic were recognised before the latter was officially founded. Pellegrini will also take part in an economic forum. He'll end his visit by attending and speaking at a performance by the Slovak Folk Art Collective (SLUK) at the Auditorium Parco della Musica. lin/df