Slovakia's President Peter Pellegrini awards state honours for the first time: we have heroes at home, we don't have to admire foreign leaders

BRATISLAVA - President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini on Saturday honoured 18 personalities of social, cultural and sporting life, nine of them in memoriam. The ceremony took place at the Slovak Philharmonic Hall in Bratislava.

The Head of State awarded the Order of Ľudovít Štúr I Class in memoriam to an anti-fascist fighter Margita Kocková, The Order of Ľudovít Štúr I. Class in memoriam for exceptional merits for the defence and security of the Slovak Republic was also awarded to Karol Peknik, participant of the Slovak National Uprising. Ophthalmologist Zoltán Oláh. The President also awarded the honours Anna Berger a Karol Kun, Živodar Tvarožková, Peter Murdz. A physicist and a geologist were also honored. Lívia Ludhová, mathematician Anatoly Dvurechensky, economist Juraj Sipko, teacher Vlasta Hudecová, Miroslav Kozak, math and chemistry teacher. Jana Pekarovičová, director of the Summer School of Slovak Language, im memoriam was also awarded a mountaineer Jozef Psotko. Next, the actor Juraj Kukura, architect, conservationist, educator and archaeologist Alfred Piffl. To the historian Eva Kowalska. In memoriam was awarded to ethnologist Jan Michalek.

The President thanked the awardees for their work
The story of Slovakia is woven from the fates and stories of people like this year's award winners. President Pellegrini pointed this out in his speech at the ceremony of state awards.

"Our value need not be found in admiration for foreign leaders, countries or powers. Slovakia has its own achievements, its own heroes and its own unique path to be proud of," he said. Pellegrini thanked the award winners for their work. "You are our role models and show that each of us can contribute to moving our country forward. You show us the way that not only you, but also the rest of us can move Slovakia forward with small steps, solutions or ideas. The story of Slovakia is ultimately woven from the fates and stories of people like you." He said.

He noted that not all of the awardees were able to attend the ceremony. "Those who cannot be among us today are missing here, as well as those who shaped the heroic consciousness of the Slovak nation through their courageous actions during the Slovak National Uprising. They created respect for freedom and democracy even at the cost of endangering or losing their own lives," said the head of state.

president.sk/ gnews.cu-jav