Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico review the Guard of Honor of the Việt Nam People's Army at the welcome ceremony on April 13. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng on Monday presided over an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on a three-day official visit to Việt Nam.

PM Hưng expressed his delight at welcoming the first international guest in his capacity as Prime Minister, and in the context of the positive development of traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Việt Nam and Slovakia.

The two PMs stood on the honour platform as the national anthems of both countries were played. They then reviewed the guard of honour of the Việt Nam People’s Army, and introduced their respective high-level delegations.

After the ceremony, the two leaders held talks, and witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents between Việt Nam and Slovakia. Prior to the talks, they toured a photo exhibition showcasing the countries, people, and longstanding relations between Việt Nam and Slovakia, jointly organised by the Government Office and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (right) welcomed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Over the past 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Việt Nam and Slovakia have maintained and nurtured their traditional friendship, with both sides attaching importance to strengthening ties. High-level visits and exchanges, as well as regular contacts at all levels, have been sustained.

Economic and trade cooperation has continued to grow steadily. Bilateral trade reached US$1.73 billion in 2024 and rose to $1.78 billion in 2025. Slovakia ratified the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in February 2023, providing a solid legal framework for investment ties. As of December 2025, Slovakia had 16 valid investment projects in Việt Nam with a total registered capital of $140.87 million, while Việt Nam had one project worth $447,000 in Slovakia.

Cooperation in other areas such as security-defence, science-technology, culture-tourism, and labour has also been maintained and gradually expanded. Notably, Slovak citizens have been granted visa-free entry to Việt Nam from August 15, 2025 to August 14, 2028.

A view of the welcome ceremony for Slovakian PM at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội on April 13 morning. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The Vietnamese community in Slovakia, numbering around 10,000 people, has been officially recognised as the 14th ethnic minority group in the Central European nation, serving as an important bridge in fostering the bilateral friendship.

Building on the solid foundation of traditional friendship, PM Fico’s visit is expected to further strengthen political trust, promote substantive cooperation, and open up new directions for the bilateral relations, contributing to creating fresh momentum to further deepen Việt Nam–Slovakia ties in the time to come. — VNA/VNS

The Vietnamese and Slovak Prime Ministers at the ceremony on April 13. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang