Bratislava prepares for state funeral of Michal Kováč

During the state funeral of former president Michal Kováč on Thursday (October 13) all bells in Bratislava will toll for five minutes at noon in commemoration, while the funeral procession will set off at the same time from Bratislava Castle to the Presidential Palace, TASR learnt from the President's communications advisor Roman Krpelan on Tuesday. The road to the Presidential Palace through the Palisades area will be lined by members of Slovakia's Armed Forces. In accordance with tradition, the casket will be transported by soldiers on an artillery carriage with an escort made up of the Slovak President's Honorary Guard. "The rear of the procession will be brought up by three military formations: 60 soldiers from ground forces, 60 members of the air force and 60 members of special ops," said Krpelan. At approximately 1 p.m., after the Slovak anthem is played and a minute of silence observed at a ceremony on the Presidential Palace courtyard, a 20-gun salute will be fired from the bank of the Danube River. A Requiem Mass at St. Martin's Cathedral will be open to the public, said Krpelan. A large screen will be installed by the cathedral to show the entire state funeral as of 11 a.m. "The Requiem Mass will be held by Archbishop Stanislav Zvolenský. Commemorative speeches will be delivered by President Andrej Kiska, former president Kováč's advisor Pavol Demeš and the ex-president's step brother and historian Dušan Kováč," said Krpelan. Kováč will be buried in a private ceremony for close family members only, at Ondrejský Cemetery with media and the public excluded. Slovakia's first president Michal Kováč died of heart failure at 7.50 p.m. on Wednesday, October 5 in St. Michael's hospital in Bratislava at the age of 86.