Minister of Defence P. Gajdoš pays tribute to the Romanian soldiers who laid down their lives in liberating Slovakia in WWII

SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš today visited Senohrad and Oremov Laz at the Training Centre Lešť to pay tribute to the memory of the fallen Romanian soldiers who along with the Red Army and the Czechoslovak units liberated Slovakia in WWII. The commemoration ceremonies were attended by the Ambassador of Romania to Slovakia, Her Excellency Ms Steluţa Arhire, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security/Deputy Chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS) Anton Hrnko. Organised by the MOD for the second time, the ceremony at the Training Centre Lešť was held at the renovated Romanian Army Memorial dedicated to the memory of the Romanian heroes.
 
In his speech, SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “Also here at the restored memorial, I would like to convey the words of gratitude and recognition the Rumanian soldiers deserve from us all because we are indebted to them for our long-wished freedom.” He underscored that it is important especially for young people to learn and know history. “Otherwise, they will take life in peace for granted. And this is not the way it should be,” he said, reminding that promoting patriotism and raising awareness of homeland defence even in the spirit of historical – military traditions is among the priorities of the Slovak National Party.
 
In his remarks, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security/Deputy Chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS) Anton Hrnko placed particular emphasis on the value of freedom and peace. “We must never forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and the fact that thanks to them we have lived in safety and peace for over 70 years. The wartime events are a sort of a warning for us to use all the available means to promote peace and cooperation among nations,” he noted.
 
In her speech, Romanian Ambassador Steluţa Arhire thanked for the efforts of the Slovak Government and authorities to honour the memory of her fellow countrymen. “For us Romanians, the commemoration of our heroes is very important. Therefore, on behalf of the Romanian Government and people and on behalf of myself, I would like to express my appreciation for the care provided to keep the memory of their sacrifice alive,” she said.
 
Over 240,000 Romanian soldiers participated in the battles to liberate Slovakia, whereas more than 10,000 Romanian soldiers died in action in Slovakia alone.