President Pellegrini: founding of Czechoslovakia laid groundwork for future Slovak independence

The founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918 laid the groundwork for a future independent Slovak state, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini told journalists on the occasion of the 106th anniversary of the birth of the former common state of Czechs and Slovaks. Pellegrini said relations between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which were marred by the Czech government's decision to suspend intergovernmental consultations with Bratislava, should not be disrupted by minor misunderstandings and isolated statements by politicians. Accompanied by the Czech ambassador to Slovakia, Rudolf Jindrák, President Pellegrini on Monday laid wreaths at the memorial of Czechoslovak statehood and the co-founder of Czechoslovakia, Milan Rastislav Štefánik.