Slovakia and Czech Republic to celebrate Czechoslovakia together

While meeting at a joint session in the Southern Moravian town of Valtice on Tuesday, the Slovak and Czech Governments endorsed the idea of jointly celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of the joint Czechoslovak state in 2018, according to a declaration that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Czech Premier Bohuslav Sobotka inked. "It was a successful project of a democratic country that was very progressive socially. It was a state based on humanistic values, and it was among the first victims of the Nazi regime - hence it's appropriate to remember this significant part of our joint history together", said Sobotka. The next, or fourth joint session of the two Cabinets is slated to take place in Slovakia 12 months from now, being shortly before Slovakia takes up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (in the latter half of 2016), but after the country's general election. "I hope (the now governing) Smer-SD party will be among the invited parties", said Slovak Prime Minister and Smer leader Robert Fico. Meanwhile, the tripartite; comprising government, employers and trade unions of the two countries should meet in November. "We'll compare where we're at in terms of the standing of employers, employees as well as local and regional municipalities", said Fico.