Klaus and Gasparovič to exchange highest state awards

President Klaus and Slovak President Ivan Gasparovič have presented each other with the countries’ highest state distinctions on Wednesday afternoon at the Vila Tugenhat in Brno. Mr Klaus presented his counterpart with the Order of the White Lion first class, and received the Slovak Order of the White Double Cross. A number of people staged a protest before the event in front of the venue by turning their backs to the arriving President Klaus, a Facebook group called on people to attend the protest and give fake awards to their friends. Vila Tugenhat was the site of the signing of the document dissolving Czechoslovakia in June 1992.