President Andrej Kiska on Wednesday delivered an address in the plenary session of the Mexican Senate, as part of an official visit to Mexico.

“We felt very good with your delegation in your country since the first moment. I know this is because we are friends.

In countries like ours, based on values, freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, it is the parliament itself that embodies the essence of democracy. They are personified by the free will of the people, who elect their representatives to responsibly manage the country and move it forward.

That is why it is my honor today to be the first president of the Slovak Republic with the opportunity to stand before this respectable forum and to convey through you greetings to all the citizens of Mexico, what it represents.

A recent earthquake made your country undergo a difficult test.  I want to express my deep regret at the loss of life and damage that your capital and country suffered during the earthquake. However, I also want to express my admiration for how your people stood together and demonstrated that they can hold together during tough moments, their solidarity and great humanity. Slovakia has also offered financial assistance to your country. It is an expression of our friendship and solidarity toward the Mexican people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am convinced that it is in our common interest for our people, our institutions and our business to be better acquainted. To help them open the door to cooperation and encourage them. To build new partnerships and new friendships. Although our countries are geographically very distant from one another, distance cannot be a barrier to fully taking advantage of the potential of our cooperation.

We have much in common. Both countries are very strong in the automotive industry. Our country is even the largest producer of automobiles per number of inhabitants. Both our countries are heavily dependent on the business of one partner. In your case, it is the United States, in our case it is the European Union. But most importantly, there are amazing, industrious, proud people in both our countries.

The changes we need everyone to make in their country also connect us. We need to support businesses with higher added value, we need innovation, we need startups, we need education reform, we need larger investments into the biggest capital we have - our people.

Next year, Slovakia and Mexico will celebrate 25 years of mutual relations. It is an opportunity not only to celebrate, but also for reviewing. Mexico is a friend and an important partner of Slovakia. Even the most important business partner in all Latin America.

Recently we have been flourishing in mutual businesses, but we still are not using the potential we have in this area. That is why a large part of my escort is comprised of entrepreneurs. And here in the Senate I am coming directly from the Mexican-Slovak business forum. I believe that each of the entrepreneurs who are with me in the delegation will return to Slovakia with a concrete idea which will bring results.

Slovakia is an incomparably smaller country than Mexico. But we have an open and well-functioning economy. Slovakia is a member of the 500 million-strong European Union and, moreover, is a member of the euro zone. I also wish to remind of our support for the European Union’s negotiations with Mexico on a modernized global agreement. I am convinced that the agreement will bring us mutual benefits. And thanks to the agreement our relationships will be still more intensive and opportunities even richer. And it is up to us to use them.

We have good opportunities to cooperate in other areas as well. Innovation, science, research, culture. Even today documents have been signed on cooperation between governments and agencies.

I want my presence here in the Senate to also encourage us to attempt to further develop our cooperation at the parliamentary level, and that is one of the reasons why the Vice-Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Andrej Hrnčiar, accompanied me to Mexico. Significant contacts took place in 2009. I am glad that there is a group of friends in your Chamber of Deputies and I am delighted that Mr, Eukid Castañón is actively seeking to revive our cooperation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The world today faces many challenges. In my view, it is extremely important to realize that no country can solve them alone today. Whether it is climate change and global warming, migration, terrorism, economic growth, it is the task of all countries standing on the basis of democracy and freedom to join together. Today is a time of coming together, not division.

What concerns me personally is the growth of nationalism, populism, extremism and the disappearance of tolerance from our society. Cooperation, humanity, mutual understanding is often replaced by confrontation. To a large extent, it is the consequence of us sometimes forgetting - or not sufficiently defending - the basic values on which our democratic societies are built.

But it is also the consequence of not always being able to give our citizens what they want and what forms the basis of every healthy and prosperous society - quality education, health, a social system, and security. It is simply so that people can live a dignified life.

This is the responsibility lying on our shoulders as politicians. Sadly, populism is often the weapon of politicians around the world. As former UN Secretary General Pan Ki-mun said, his saddest experience in his work is that many leaders, many politicians think more about their own power than their own people. It is the task, it is the duty of politicians to serve the people. It is our duty to build a world founded on friendship, mutual respect and understanding. It is our duty to build a common world founded on democracy and freedom.

Dear Senator and Deputies,

Thank you for the possibility of talking with you, and I wish you, your country and your people, in fact, all the best. I wish for the successful development of Slovak-Mexican relations. And I am ready to make a further personal contribution.”