President Kiska appoints Major General Zmeko as Chief of Defence
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- Date: 26.04.2018
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Major General Daniel Zmeko is to be promoted Lieutenant General and appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Chief of Defence) with effect from 7 May 2018. President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska, the Commander-in-Chief of the SVK Armed Forces, has today (26 April 2018) announced the appointment of Major General Daniel Zmeko to the SVK Armed Forcesʼ most senior post in succession to General Milan Maxim, whose tenure as Chief of Defence is over. In addition, President Andrej Kiska has today promoted Colonel Juraj Štefanka to the most junior general officer rank, whilst at the same time promoting Brigadier Josef Pokorný, Brigadier Vladimír Šimko and Lieutenant General Ján Balciar one rank higher.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “I trust that the new Chief of Defence will build on the work of his predecessor, because continuity in the Armed Forces is very important. I am convinced that Major General Zmeko will, in the SVK Armed Forcesʼ most senior role, commit all his professional abilities and expertise of all chain of command levels to maintaining the SVK Armed Forcesʼ credibility as one of Slovakiaʼs most trustworthy institutions and readiness to guarantee the defence of the Slovak Republic and its citizens. I wish him every success in his job and I am looking forward to cooperating with him.” At the same time, he thanked General Maxim for his long-standing cooperation. “Although we have not always shared the same opinions, we have always managed to reach consensus and delivered the best solutions for soldiers and the Armed Forces as a whole,” he added. On this occasion, General Maxim thanked all servicemen and women for their lifelong cooperation. “I can confirm I will continue, as thus far, to do my best to spread a good name of the SVK Armed Forces.”
In his remarks, President Andrej Kiska congratulated the promoted generals, especially the newly appointed CHOD, Major General Daniel Zmeko. He reminded that the SVK Armed Forces have enjoyed the highest public confidence levels for long, which calls for a strong sense of responsibility. President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska said: “In no way can we forget the needs of our service personnel, nor their working and service conditions. We also need to make sure that young people want to join the Armed Forces and that they proudly serve to defend our country. These are exceptionally difficult and important tasks, and I will give you all my support in every single step you take on your way to fulfilling these difficult tasks.” At the same time, he thanked General Milan Maxim for his work, adding that he was at the helm of the Armed Forces in a complicated period full of changes.
On behalf of his promoted colleagues and on his own behalf, Major General Daniel Zmeko expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in them. “I want to assure you that, in all humbleness, we are aware that, along with the trust you place in us, we also take on a commitment that comes along with the new appointments and ranks, one that obliges us to perform and fulfil the mission of the Armed Forces.” He went on to add that he is fully identified with the priorities that SVK President and Commander-in-Chief of the SVK Armed Forces Andrej Kiska set out in his address.
Recently, soon-to-be CHOD Major General Zmeko has performed tasks in the field of modernisation and armaments as National Armaments Director. Over the duration of his more than 30-year-long military career in the SVK Armed Forces, he held several command appointments with mechanised units from platoon to brigade levels before taking post as Chief of the Operations Branch and Chief of Staff in the SVK Land Forces HQ. His next posting was to the General Staff where he served in a variety of command and staff positions, including Commander of the Operations Control Centre. He also assumed the appointment of Deputy Commander of the SVK Land Forces. Operational tours of duty, including UNFICYP in Cyprus, Afghanistan, and Iraq where he was in command of the SVK Contingent, allowed him to gain rich experience from international crisis management missions and operations.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “I trust that the new Chief of Defence will build on the work of his predecessor, because continuity in the Armed Forces is very important. I am convinced that Major General Zmeko will, in the SVK Armed Forcesʼ most senior role, commit all his professional abilities and expertise of all chain of command levels to maintaining the SVK Armed Forcesʼ credibility as one of Slovakiaʼs most trustworthy institutions and readiness to guarantee the defence of the Slovak Republic and its citizens. I wish him every success in his job and I am looking forward to cooperating with him.” At the same time, he thanked General Maxim for his long-standing cooperation. “Although we have not always shared the same opinions, we have always managed to reach consensus and delivered the best solutions for soldiers and the Armed Forces as a whole,” he added. On this occasion, General Maxim thanked all servicemen and women for their lifelong cooperation. “I can confirm I will continue, as thus far, to do my best to spread a good name of the SVK Armed Forces.”
In his remarks, President Andrej Kiska congratulated the promoted generals, especially the newly appointed CHOD, Major General Daniel Zmeko. He reminded that the SVK Armed Forces have enjoyed the highest public confidence levels for long, which calls for a strong sense of responsibility. President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska said: “In no way can we forget the needs of our service personnel, nor their working and service conditions. We also need to make sure that young people want to join the Armed Forces and that they proudly serve to defend our country. These are exceptionally difficult and important tasks, and I will give you all my support in every single step you take on your way to fulfilling these difficult tasks.” At the same time, he thanked General Milan Maxim for his work, adding that he was at the helm of the Armed Forces in a complicated period full of changes.
On behalf of his promoted colleagues and on his own behalf, Major General Daniel Zmeko expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in them. “I want to assure you that, in all humbleness, we are aware that, along with the trust you place in us, we also take on a commitment that comes along with the new appointments and ranks, one that obliges us to perform and fulfil the mission of the Armed Forces.” He went on to add that he is fully identified with the priorities that SVK President and Commander-in-Chief of the SVK Armed Forces Andrej Kiska set out in his address.
Recently, soon-to-be CHOD Major General Zmeko has performed tasks in the field of modernisation and armaments as National Armaments Director. Over the duration of his more than 30-year-long military career in the SVK Armed Forces, he held several command appointments with mechanised units from platoon to brigade levels before taking post as Chief of the Operations Branch and Chief of Staff in the SVK Land Forces HQ. His next posting was to the General Staff where he served in a variety of command and staff positions, including Commander of the Operations Control Centre. He also assumed the appointment of Deputy Commander of the SVK Land Forces. Operational tours of duty, including UNFICYP in Cyprus, Afghanistan, and Iraq where he was in command of the SVK Contingent, allowed him to gain rich experience from international crisis management missions and operations.
