Successful homecoming after deployment to BiH and Afghanistan
No. 35 ● Vol. VII ● www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
Tribute to SNP insurgents (25 August) Slovak Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš commemorated the victims of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) by an act of commemoration and walking the ZlatnoSkýcov Educational Partisan Trail. Local residents of the villages of Zlatno and Skýcov, located in Zlaté Moravce County, were actively involved in anti-Nazi operations by engaging the enemy or providing supplies and intelligence to partisan groups. On 16 March 1945, Nazi soldiers burned Skýcov down in revenge for the villagersʼ support to the antiNazi resistance and deported 13 villagers to concentration camps. Today, the Memorials to the Victims of the Slovak National Uprising and WW2 in both villages stand as a testament to their sacrifice. The walk along the partisan trail has taken place since 1988. On the SNP, Minister Gajdoš said: “The Slovak National Uprising was an important historic milestone which clearly demonstrated the will of the Slovak people to take their destiny in their own hands and stand up against Nazi barbarities. And today we are truly proud that our nation, albeit hitherto less distinctive, joined the European antiNazi and national liberation wave.” At the same time, he appreciated the fact that our citizens have been commemorating the SNP heroes by organising a walk along the partisan trail for the past three decades.
Homage to 1968 victims (21 August) S l o v a k Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš paid tribute to the memory of the victims who put up resistance against the invasion of the Warsaw Pact Armies into Czechoslovakia on 21 August 1968 during a ceremony in Bratislavaʼs Šafárik Square. Minister Gajdoš said: “50 years ago the victims we today remember decided not to back down but to resist. Aware of the threat of death, in decisive moments they defended our country and society with their own bodies. For that, we owe them our gratitude and recognition. We honour their memory and we will never forget them.” He went on to give credit to Alexander Dubček for bringing humanity to Czechoslovak politics, with a view to promoting social equality. The Warsaw Pact Armies launched the invasion of Czechoslovakia on the night of 20/21 August 1968. In addition to Soviet Army soldiers, Operation Danube saw the deployment of troops from Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and the Democratic Republic of Germany. At least 108 people died and hundreds of Czechoslovak citizens were injured as a result of the occupation of Czechoslovakia, which was aimed at halting the democratisation process of the socialist regime spearheaded by Alexander Dubček. Minister Gajdoš also paid tribute to this prominent Slovak politician, statesman and key figure of the Prague Spring at the ʽNightingaleʼs Valleyʼ Cemetery, Bratislava, where he rests in peace.
(24 August) Slovak Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš welcomed 20 soldiers returning from EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan during a homecoming ceremony at the Training and Mobilisation Manning Base Martin. Highlighting a sense of mutuality and give-and-take among Allies, Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “The work of Slovak servicemen and women abroad reassures our Allies that we are a fully fledged member of the international community who not only uses benefits but also gives a helping hand where it is needed.” He then thanked the soldiers for performing their duties conscientiously, thereby helping develop a good reputation for Slovakia and the SVK Armed Forces abroad. On the professionalism of the SVK Armed Forces personnel, DCHOD/COS Maj Gen Miroslav Kocian said: “I am proud to say they did a neat piece of honest and responsible work. The tasks were accomplished at a high standard.” The mission of the 18 SVK military personnel who were deployed on EUFORʼs Operation ALTHEA last year was to help stabilise the environment of BiH, to support building the capabilities of the BiH Armed Forces, and to oversee the compliance with the Dayton Peace Accords (DPA). Another two SVK personnel spent a 6-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, where they participated in training Afghan Air Force ground personnel as part of an Air Advisory Team (AAT).
● The Dukla Observation Tower hosted the preview of the permanent Dukla Battlefield in Changes of Time 19442018 Exhibition on 23 Aug 2018. The exhibition was prepared by the Institute of Military History Bratislava and the Military History Club Beskydy Humenné. 16 panels with texts and photos provide visitors with interesting information about the Battle of the Dukla Pass, war-related damage to property in eastern Slovakia, demining operations in eastern Slovakia after WW2, the building of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps Memorial and Cemetery at the Dukla Pass, the construction of the Soviet Army Memorial and War Cemetery in Svidník, the German War Cemetery in Hunkovce, the development of commemorative sites across what used to be the Dukla battlefield, and the history of the Museum of Military History – Museum Section Svidník. ● Commander SVK Air Force Maj Gen Ľubomír Svoboda welcomed German Defence Attaché Lt Col Joachim Schmidt to Zvolen on 21 Aug 2018. They discussed deepening Slovak-German cooperation in the future, especially on military courses and exercises. The German Defence Attaché appreciated the bilateral cooperation between the Slovak and German Armed Forces and the modernization of the SVK Air Force.
World Champion
(25 August) Paulína Fialková, sportswoman of the Military Sports Centre (VŠC) Dukla Banská Bystrica, won the IBU Summer Biathlon World Championships individual title by taking the womenʼs 7.5km sprint and placed second in the womenʼs 10km sprint. Overall, this is the 11th Gold medal and the 46th medal for SVK Biathlon in the history of the IBU World Championships. Martin Otčenáš, of the VŠC Dukla, placed 6th in the menʼs 10km sprint.
● Peter Gelle, of the VŠC Dukla, and Adam Botek, of the ŠKP Bratislava, placed 6th in the menʼs K2 1000 metres competition at the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Portugalʼs Montemor-o-Velho on 24 Aug 2018. ● To mark the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, the Institute of Military History Bratislava published The Great War in a small town by Peter Chorvát. The book depicts the situation in Banská Bystrica in the years 1914–1918. ● The summer edition of Military History Journal is dedicated to WW2 events, the post-war years, and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SVK Armed Forces. For more information, go to http://www.vhu.sk/5190-sk/2/. ● The SVK MOD urges drivers to take caution as there will be 29 Allied military road movements across Slovakia in the period between 27 Aug – 2 Sept 2018. They will mainly involve CZE and HUN troops in support of the Slovak International Air Fest (SIAF) 2018 and HRV troops. SVK Army convoys will also transport oversized cargo along the routes: Martin – Levice – Sliač; Sereď – Trenčín; Dubnica nad Váhom – Sliač; and Martin – Sliač.
Children’s University (21 August) Why is the modernization of military equipment needed and why the money allocated for modernization is not rather spent on medical welfare? What can be done to better support school leavers in finding employment on the job market? And is it possible to improve the integrated transport system in the capital city? On the modernization issue, Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš spoke of the need to equip our service personnel with state-of-the-art military equipment in order to ensure the security of our entire nation. He suggested to the children that, if they are interested in becoming servicemen and women in the future, the door to the SVK Armed Forces is open for them.
Forging partner defence relations with Ukraine (24 August) At the invitation of Ukrainian Minister of Defence General of the Army Stepan Poltorak, State Secretary of the SVK MOD Róbert Ondrejcsák participated in the celebrations of the 27th anniversary of Ukraineʼs independence and the 100th anniversary of the revival of Ukrainian nationhood in Kyiv. During his official trip to Ukraine, he also met with Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for European Integration Lt Gen Anatolii Petrenko and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar. The partners focused on topics of common interest, including NATO-Ukraine cooperation, the conclusions of the NATO Brussels Summit, PESCO, and Ukraineʼs active
eBULLETIN SVK MoD
involvement in the EUʼs CSDP. “Ukraine is our neighbour and Slovakia considers it to be one of the closest NATO and EU partners. Through its partnership on joint operations, Ukraine is among significant contributors to collective defence,” said State Secretary Ondrejcsák. In his further talks, he informed his colleagues about the state of play of implementing the EOD/C-IED Trust Fund for Ukraine, where Slovakia is the Lead Nation, as well as updating them on the priorities of the SVK MOD for the upcoming period and the modernization of the SVK MOD. While still in Kyiv, R. Ondrejcsák also visited the NATO Information and Documentation Centre.
20 - 26 August 2018