Minister Glváč gets in touch with troops in deployed operations and missions
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- Date: 22.12.2014
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On Christmas Eve, SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč and Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Milan Maxim got in touch, via internet, with commanders of the Slovak contingents in deployed military operations and missions. They wished a merry Christmas to all the Slovak soldiers who were to spend Christmas far from home, without their families. As a symbolic present from Head of the Defence Department, the soldiers who were not on duty were granted an exemption allowing a toast on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve.
„Allow me to wish you all the best, namely sound health, since we all distinctly remember the tragic event that happened last year at this time,” said Minister of Defence when talking to the commander of the SVK contingent in Afghanistan Lt Col Pavel Švelka.
Lt Col Švelka confirmed that at Christmas, the soldiers will be given an opportunity to get in touch with their families at least via telephone. The soldiers extended their greeting to the Minister of Defence from Afghanistan also via Skype and wished a merry Christmas to the people in Slovakia.
Head of the Defence Department contacted also Lt Col Ladislav Kisel, the commander of the SVK contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I am aware of the fact that in an operation like this there is not much time left for rest but I do believe that you will spend a peaceful Christmas,” said Head of the Defence Department. “During Christmas, we will be at four different places but we are going to prepare Christmas food typical for Slovakia at every one of these places. It will be a sauerkraut soup, potato salad and fish. All the ingredients we have from Slovakia,” responded Lt Col Kisel.
The Slovak troops performing tasks in UNFICYP operation in Cyprus will not savour a carp this year. “It is impossible to get a carp here, but in any case we will have a fish,” said the commander of the SVK contingent to UNFICYP Lt Col Jaroslav Bitala. At the same time, he confirmed that the soldiers will continue to perform their tasks in Cyprus also at the Christmas time.
One Slovak soldier served during Christmas also in an observer mission UNTSO. “This is not the first Christmas that I have to spend far from my family but I will make up for it at the end of January, when I shall leave for home”, said Major Jozef Kasl.
„Allow me to wish you all the best, namely sound health, since we all distinctly remember the tragic event that happened last year at this time,” said Minister of Defence when talking to the commander of the SVK contingent in Afghanistan Lt Col Pavel Švelka.
Lt Col Švelka confirmed that at Christmas, the soldiers will be given an opportunity to get in touch with their families at least via telephone. The soldiers extended their greeting to the Minister of Defence from Afghanistan also via Skype and wished a merry Christmas to the people in Slovakia.
Head of the Defence Department contacted also Lt Col Ladislav Kisel, the commander of the SVK contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I am aware of the fact that in an operation like this there is not much time left for rest but I do believe that you will spend a peaceful Christmas,” said Head of the Defence Department. “During Christmas, we will be at four different places but we are going to prepare Christmas food typical for Slovakia at every one of these places. It will be a sauerkraut soup, potato salad and fish. All the ingredients we have from Slovakia,” responded Lt Col Kisel.
The Slovak troops performing tasks in UNFICYP operation in Cyprus will not savour a carp this year. “It is impossible to get a carp here, but in any case we will have a fish,” said the commander of the SVK contingent to UNFICYP Lt Col Jaroslav Bitala. At the same time, he confirmed that the soldiers will continue to perform their tasks in Cyprus also at the Christmas time.
One Slovak soldier served during Christmas also in an observer mission UNTSO. “This is not the first Christmas that I have to spend far from my family but I will make up for it at the end of January, when I shall leave for home”, said Major Jozef Kasl.
