Minister commemorates 137th anniversary of General Štefánik's birthday

SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš visited Košariská to participate in a commemoration ceremony on the occasion of the 137th anniversary of General Štefánik's birthday. Head of the MOD visited Štefánik'sbirthday home, which houses a museum dedicated to the memory of this prominent figure of Slovak history. In his remarks, Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “Personally speaking, I find it exceptionally important to remind the young generations of General Štefánik's message, so that each and every pupil knows who he was and how much he did for the cause of the Slovak nation and for the establishment of an independent state of Czechs and Slovaks.” He went on to remind that today's streets, squares and institutions bear the name of General Štefánik. Proving once again that the Slovak people dearly cherish the memory of the prominent personality. While noting thathe would be pleased to see young people and, in particular, professional soldiers live up to Štefánik's personal motto “To believe – To love – To work”, he underscored that if they did so, “it would be a lot more difficult for evil to spread in the form of extremism or terrorism throughout our society.” Having lived a life of a soldier, a diplomat, a minister of war, and a statesman, General Milan Rastislav Štefánik died tragically on 4 May 1919 when his plane crashed in the vicinity of Ivánka pri Dunaji.