President Pellegrini to Visit Slovak Soldiers in Kosovo, Will Also Go to Serbia

       Bratislava, 18 December (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini is scheduled to visit Slovak professional soldiers serving in Kosovo as part of the NATO-led international Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission on Sunday (21 December), The President's Office's communications department told TASR on Thursday, adding that this is his traditional pre-Christmas trip to visit members of the Slovak armed forces abroad.
        "The visit will include the president and family members of soldiers who have requested extensions of their service in this mission. In addition to its official dimension, the visit will also have a special family dimension as a sign of respect and support not only for the soldiers themselves but also for their loved ones," said the communications department.
        After meeting the Slovak contingent, Pellegrini will travel to Belgrade, where he'll pay an official visit to Serbia, the first by a Slovak head of state in 16 years. According to the office, the visit is part of a series of trips by the president to Western Balkans countries with the aim of expressing Slovakia's long-term support for the European integration of this region.
        In Belgrade, the Slovak head of state will meet his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, National Assembly President Ana Brnabic and Serbian Prime Minister Duro Macut. "The talks will focus on developing our bilateral relations, the process of integrating the Western Balkan countries into the EU and current geopolitical challenges," said the communications department.