DUSHANBE, October 28, 2013, Asia-Plus – On Monday October 28, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon sent a cable of congratulations to his Czech counterpart Milos Zeman on the occasion of Independent Czechoslovak Day, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

In his message, Rahmon, in particular, noted that Tajikistan attaches significance to its cooperation with the Czech Republic and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation between the two nationals will expand in the future as well.  

On October 28, 1918 the first independent Czechoslovak state was founded from territories that were previously part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. President Tomas G. Masaryk became the leader of a state that was based on President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points, especially the principle of self-determination.

Czechoslovakia became one of Europe’s first successful multi-party parliamentary democracies, and it was stable enough to withstand the international depression of the 1930s. The First Republic only lasted two decades until Nazi Germany occupied the Czech Lands in 1938/9. Although Czechoslovakia no longer exists today, Czechs continue to view October 28 as the day of their national founding.