Slovak President Peter Pellegrini congratulated war veteran and participant in the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) Vladimír Strmeň on his 97th birthday on Tuesday.
"I appreciate his courage and personal testimonies, with which he has been reminding us of the values of freedom and democracy for many years. His message also emphasizes that peace and freedom are not a given and we must protect them," Pellegrini stated.
The Ministry of Defense (MO) of the Slovak Republic also joined the congratulations. On this occasion, it thanked him for his courage, bravery and contribution to the legacy of the SNP, which is forever written into the history of Slovakia.
The Ministry of the Interior recalled that Strmeň, as a 16-year-old youth, sided with the resistance and became part of the armed resistance against fascism. He was seriously wounded in the fighting, but he never lost his courage or faith in justice and freedom.
"The SNP became his lifelong mission and to this day, with his testimony, he passes on the message to younger generations that freedom and democracy are worth fighting for," noted the Ministry of the Interior, adding that he has been awarded several decorations, including the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 2nd class.
Source: TASR
