On 28 January, the Australian Ambassador to Austria, Ian Biggs, together with Dr Christine Biggs and members of the Australian Embassy, hosted the first-ever Australia Day reception in Bratislava. This historic occasion brought together representatives of the Slovak Government, the diplomatic corps, business leaders, and members of the Australian community and alumni to mark an important milestone and celebrate the strong bilateral relationship between Australia and Slovakia.

The reception also provided an opportunity to look ahead to a significant year for Australia–Slovakia relations. Planned engagements include a visit to Australia by Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanár to formally re-open the Slovak Embassy in Canberra, as well as senior officials’ talks in Bratislava. These initiatives are expected to support deeper dialogue and enhanced cooperation on global and regional issues.

The Australian Embassy expressed its appreciation to Slovak State Secretary Vladimír Simoňák from the Ministry of Economy for representing the Slovak Government. In his remarks, State Secretary Simoňák emphasised the strength and future direction of bilateral relations and Slovakia’s commitment to finalising the Australia–EU free trade agreement. He also thanked Australia for providing a safe haven to Slovaks following the Second World War, a gesture that was warmly acknowledged.

In his address, Ambassador Biggs commended Slovakia on the release of its first Indo-Pacific Strategic Concept and welcomed its intention to engage more closely with Australia and countries in the region. He highlighted the valuable contributions of the Slovak diaspora to Australia’s social, cultural, and economic life, and shared the story of Ján Jandura Puček, Australia’s first naturalised citizen, as an enduring example of people-to-people links. The Ambassador also paid tribute to Slovak-Australian Marika Pogány, who was tragically killed in the anti-Semitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025, reaffirming Australia’s solidarity with Jewish Australians and its commitment to shared values of unity, compassion, and resilience.

The evening celebrated modern, multicultural Australia through cuisine, art, and music, while recognising the deep history of Australia’s First Nations peoples. First Nations culture was featured through an exhibition from the National Gallery of Australia and the use of native Australian ingredients, alongside musical performances by Slovak-Australian pianist Ryan Bradshaw and Slovak soprano Gabriela Šaturová. The Embassy expressed its sincere thanks to all guests for contributing to a memorable inaugural Australia Day celebration in Bratislava.

• https://austria.embassy.gov.au/ https://austria.embassy.gov.au/