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The President of Slovakia was officially inaugurated for a second five-year mandate on 15 June. However, according to the Slovak press, the ceremony was only of interest to tourists. [SME](http://komentare.sme.sk/c/4891827/stlpcek-romana-pataja-patrocnica.html) has referred to the occasion as "An inauguration without ambition," and remarks that "only fervent supporters of the president could be content with the bland words" that marked the start of his second term in office. However, a small degree of excitement was generated when the three minute speech delivered by President Ivan Gašparovič from the balcony of his palace in Bratislava was interrupted by campaigners for civil rights in China. The President responded by saying that he had no interest in "placard waving idlers." Police are expected to exert tight control over the demonstrations to protest against the visit on Chinese President Hu Jintao on 18 June.
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