President Tony Tan Keng Yam will head to Hungary and the Slovak Republic on Monday night, for Singapore's first state visits to the two countries.

The seven-day trip underscores growing bilateral ties between Singapore and Central and Eastern Europe, and follows Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's recent visit to France and Poland.

Dr Tan and his wife will be officially welcomed in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, on Tuesday. They will proceed to the Slovakian capital Bratislava on Thursday.

During the visit, Dr Tan will not only meet the heads of both countries, but also seek support for the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, set to be signed by both sides next year.

Dr Tan is accompanied by Minister for Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Community, Culture and Youth Sam Tan, and MPs Penny Low and David Ong.

Also in the delegation are officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, and the National Research Foundation.

A business delegation, led by the Singapore Business Federation, will visit Budapest, the Czech capital Prague, and Bratislava, with Dr Balakrishnan speaking at a business forum in each city.