Homecoming for over 200 military personnel after their operational deployments abroad

Having completed their tours of duty abroad – from the Baltic Sea, Latvia, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cyprus, through Mali and the Central African Republic, to Iraq and other Middle East countries, 215 Slovak Armed Forces service members have gathered for a Welcome Home Parade at 21 Mechanised Battalion Trebišov today (21 October 2022). Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď and Chief of Defence Gen Daniel Zmeko gave them their “Welcome Home!”, in the presence of the armed forces families.

Speaking in front of the gathered soldiers and their families, Jaroslav Naď said: “Our soldiersʼ tours of duty abroad are the personification of a reliable and constructive Slovakia as a recognised partner within international organisations. In this way, we are building a safer world, which, in the context of the military aggression just across our borders, is even more important than ever before.” He thanked the soldiers for representing not just the Slovak Armed Forces, but also Slovakia.

Offering his remarks, Chief of Defence Gen Daniel Zmeko highlighted the wide range of duties our troops undertake whilst on deployment, often in diverse, uneasy conditions. He has been quoted as saying: “Their tasks differ from strengthening the defence of Allies and deterrence against a potential aggressor, through to stabilising and protecting fragile peace, and serving in command, staff and instructor positions to benefit the growth of the regions where they are deployed.”

Over the past month, these military personnel have returned home as part of the regular rotation of forces taking part in the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) in the Baltic Sea, NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Latvia, Op EUNAVFOR MED IRINI in Italy, Op EUFOR-ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNFICYP in Cyprus, the EU Military Training Missions in Mali (EUTM Mali) and in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA), the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) and UNTSO in the Middle East.