Change of Command in Sector 4 (September 24) A change of command in Sector 4 took place after a lapse of one year in UNFICYP mission in Cyprus. The departing commander Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Uličný handed over the command to the Lieutenant Colonel Miroslav Mišovic for the next year. The handover ceremony took place in Famagusta, in the presence of the UNFICYP military commander Major General Chao Liu, the UNFICYP Chief of Staff Colonel Angus Loudon and other guests. The Slovak party was represented by the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Cyprus Oksana Tomová and by the Deputy Commander of the Slovak Air Force Colonel Ivan Hůlek, who led the methodology team during the rotation. Equally, the Hungarian Ambassador to Cyprus Balász Botos and the Ukrainian Ambassador to Cyprus Boris Humeniuk accepted the invitation to the ceremonial event. Major General Chao Liu extended his thanks to the departing commander for an excellent job he had done and wished the new commander every success in the performance of operational tasks.
Minister in Sweden
(September 23) Military - technical coopera!on or research and development in the Þeld of defence were some of the issues discussed at the mee!ng of the Minister of Defence of the SR Mar!n Glváč with the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Sweden Karin Enstrőm during his official visit to the Kingdom of Sweden. They also addressed the issue of moderniza!on of the Slovak supersonic avia!on and signed the intergovernmental agreement on defence coopera!on. “The main focus of the agreement is not only on military and technical coopera!on or research and development, but also on educa!on and training, logis!cs, opera!ons in terrain and on military medical service,” stated Glváč. The Minister also visited the interna!onal centre of the Swedish armed forces (SWEDINT), which provides for educa!on and training aimed at the service in the peacekeeping opera!ons under the auspices of the UN, NATO and EU. “We would very much like to encourage and promote coopera!on with this centre. Slovakia can offer both the educa!onal and science and research projects run in the Slovak Armed Forces Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš, as well as the Military Training Area Lešť or the EOD Centre of Excellence in Trenčín,” said the Minister.
● On Monday, 23 September, a ceremonial parade was held at the Headquarters of the Land Forces to commemorate the twenty years of existence of the Armed Forces of the SR. In his address, the Commander of the LF SR Brigadier General Ondřej Novosad emphasized the message of the Slovak Volunteer Corps in the battle against the Emperor units in Brezová pod Bradlom on 22 September 1848 and he presented the soldiers and civil employees with commemorative medals. ● On 24 September, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, a ceremonial parade was held in the premises of the Headquarters of the Air Force of the Slovak Republic in Zvolen. The opening speech was made by the Deputy Chief of Staff Colonel Vladimír Kováč. Consequently, the Order of the President of the Slovak Republic was read as well as the orders of the Minister of Defence of the SR and the Chief of the General Staff of the AF SR on awarding the commemorative and military medals. On the occasion of the anniversary, ceremonial parades were also held on the level of subordinate Air Force units. ● A working meeting of the Commander of the Land Forces of the AF SR Brigadier General Ondřej Novosad and the General of the Land Forces of Hungary Brigadier General Gábor Bőrőndi took place in Hungarian Székesfehérvár. The Commander of the Land Forces made a visit to the 25th light brigade in Tata and the Joint Headquarters of the Hungarian Armed Forces, where he met with the Commander of the Joint Headquarters Major General László Domján. They discussed the issues of cooperation in the field of CIED training planned on the level of tactical unit and cooperation in the field of military divers’ training. They also addressed the issue of mutual cooperation in the field of development of CIMIC and PSYOPS and related training, as well as the issue of cooperation in the field of mechanized battalion’s training. ● On 24 September, a session of the Military Council of the Commander of the Training and Support Forces of the AF SR was held. Members of the Council discussed the materials in respect of the requisite assets. The Commander announced to those present the results of the negotiation of the Military Council of the Chief of the General Staff. The conclusion of the session of the Military Council focused on the tasks related to the upcoming reorganization changes to be introduced in the Training and Support Forces.
Visit from Cyprus
(September 26) Slovakia stands in support of the peace process in Cyprus and our soldiers will con!nue to operate there as long as necessary, conÞrmed Mar!n Glváč in his mee!ng with the Minister of Defence of Cyprus Pho!s Pho!ou, who had made an official visit of Slovakia. The Minister of Defence of Cyprus appreciated a more than 12-year-long engagement of the Slovak troops in Cyprus. “For us, the engagement of the Slovak unit is vital, just as is the pro-ac!ve Slovak diplomacy,” he stated. According to the Head of the Slovak Department of Defence, the membership of the both countries in the European Union creates condi!ons for a further strengthening of mutual coopera!on, e.g. in the Þeld of educa!on and training, or in the Þeld of business coopera!on, in par!cular in the Þeld of deliveries of special equipment.
● On 23 September, nearly 800 troops from the 22nd mechanized battalion group with more than 200 pcs of equipment started their intensive training in the Military Training Area of the Military District Lešť. The soldiers will undergo the intensive training mainly in the form of tactical exercise and order drills. They need to harmonize their skills by the beginning of the certification battalion tactical exercise planned for 7- 11 October so that the Combat readiness Evaluation team (CREVAL) may conclude that the unit is ready to be deployed to combat operation. After a successful certification, the unit will serve in 2014 and 2015 as a deployable NATO reserve force. ● On 23 September, the public presentation of the Air Force of the SR, as a part of the NATO Days 2013 and the Days of the Air Force of the Army of the Czech Republic, ended at the Sliač Airport with the landing of the two MiG-29 aircraft and two L-39 aircraft. The presentation of our pilots at the Ostrava Leoš Janáček Airport was held in the presence of the Commander of the Slovak Air Force Brigadier General Miroslav Korba. For the wide public, the unique joint fly-by of the tactical aircraft of the Air Force of the AF SR and the Air Force of the ACR was particularly attractive. The aircraft L-39, MiG-29 and JAS-39 hence reminded the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Air Force of the Slovak Republic and the Air Force of the Czech Republic.
In Poland on V4 Security On 17 – 19 September 2013, the Director of the Security Office of the MoD SR Lt.Col. Radovan Rusnák took part in the meeting of the security authorities from V4 Ministries of Defence, which was held in Gdynia. In the meeting, the issue of organization of information security of the units on tactical level was discussed, as well as the issues of archives falling under the Department of Defence or the system of control and management of information security, protection of information and cyber security. The participants visited the Maritime Archive of Maj. Boleslaw Waligóra of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland and met with the Commander of the 3rd flotilla of the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland, Rear Admiral Marian Ambroziak. The meeting of security directors of V4 Ministries of Defence annually presents a framework for exchange of information and experience, hence contributing to an enhanced efficiency of problem-solving strategies.
Soldiers Helping in Bosnia (September 24) The Red Cross in Bosnia and Herzegovina started distribution of humanitarian aid provided by the Slovak Republic by virtue of the incentive of the Slovak soldiers operating in ALTHEA operation. Being part of the Liaison Observation Teams, whose task is to monitor the current development in the country, they can provide insight as to the poverty stricken rural areas in this war afflicted country. Alongside with the Department of Defence, the Department of Interior assisted in organizing the humanitarian aid. The Ministry of Defence provided for the transportation of the aid to Sarajevo. The aid was coordinated by the Centre of Ecumenical and Pastoral Service in the Armed Forces and Armed Corps, in concert with the Headquarters of the Training and Support Forces of the Armed Forces of the SR Trenčín.
Ministers of Defence Jointly Award Soldiers Returning from Tour in Cyprus
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(September 23) In Nitra, the Minister of Defence of the SR Martin Glváč, together with the Minister of Defence of Cyprus Photis Photiou, awarded the soldiers returning after a one-year tour in UNFICYP, Cyprus. The commemorative medals were presented to 79 members of the Armed Forces of the SR. “I have only encountered a positive response to the job you did. In Sector 4 falling under the Slovak command, you cooperated with your colleagues from Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, and since September even with troops from Ukraine, which cooperation proved to be excellent,” said Glváč. He emphasized how proud he is of all the Slovak soldiers operating in the international crisis management operations: “Being a soldier is not only about pride, bravery and dedicated service. Unfortunately, being a soldier may often be extremely dangerous, and the tragic events that affected Slovakia this year speak volumes about it.“
The Minister of Defence of Cyprus Photis Photiou stressed the excellent relations between the both countries and their departments of defence: “I
eBULLETIN MoD SR
would very much like to extend my grateful thanks to the Slovak soldiers operating in Cyprus, since their engagement is of a paramount importance for the peacekeeping.” As a token of good relations and as an expression of appreciation of the work performed by the Slovak troops in Cyprus, the Heads of the Departments of Defence revealed in Nitra a commemorative plaque and jointly planted two trees. Altogether 157 Slovak soldiers operate in UNFICYP operation. Patrolling in a buffer zone, they prevent possible violations of peace and order. The members of the AF SR serve also in different positions at the Headquarters in Nicosia, in the engineer platoon, in the multinational unit of Military Police or in the mobile unit of Mission Headquarters. The role that military observers – liaison officers play is equally important, their task being negotiation with the representatives of the opposing forces.
September 23 - 29, 2013