Slovak President Peter Pellegrini honored 22 prominent figures from public, cultural, scientific, and sporting life on Saturday (January 10), four of them posthumously, at a ceremony held in the Slovak Philharmonic building in Bratislava. The Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st Class (in memoriam), was awarded to footballer and coach Jozef Vengloš for his exceptional contributions to the development of Slovakia in sports and for spreading the country’s good name abroad. The same honor was bestowed posthumously on partisan commander Ján Repta for outstanding service to the defense and security of Slovakia, on surgeon Peter Kothaj for exceptional contributions to science and technology—especially surgery—and on former education minister, MP, archaeologist, and historian Dušan Čaplovič for his exceptional contributions to science, technology, and education.
Anti-communist resistance fighter Ladislav Lampert received the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st Class, for his outstanding contributions to democracy, human rights, and freedoms, while figure skater Jozef Sabovčík was honored for his exceptional achievements in sports and for promoting Slovakia abroad. Economist Ivan Šramko received the same order for outstanding contributions to state administration, finance, and the economy. The president also awarded the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st Class, to physician and dean of the Comenius University Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava Juraj Payer for his contributions to science and technology, and to Jozef Živčák, dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Košice, particularly for achievements in biomedical engineering and for promoting Slovakia internationally. Participant in the Slovak National Uprising and former chairwoman of the Živena association, Zora Breierová, was also honored with the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st Class, for her contributions to democracy and human rights.
The Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 2nd Class, was awarded to gallerist and director of the Danubiana Museum Vincent Polakovič for promoting Slovakia abroad, as well as to ballet master and teacher Roman Lazík for spreading Slovakia’s good name internationally, particularly in ballet. Car designer Branislav Maukš received the same honor for his international contributions to automotive design. Scientist Ján Tkáč was awarded the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 2nd Class, for outstanding achievements in science and technology, especially nanobiotechnology, and for promoting Slovakia abroad. Kornélia Wirtschafterová, a survivor of four concentration camps, received the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 2nd Class, for her contributions to democracy and human rights. The Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 3rd Class, was awarded to physician and writer Eva Umlauf for her contributions to democracy and for promoting Slovakia internationally, and to Slovak National Uprising participant Daniel Lehotský for service to national defense and security.
President Pellegrini also awarded the Pribina Cross, 1st Class, to scientist and educator Denisa Nikodemová for exceptional contributions to Slovakia’s social development, particularly in public health. The Pribina Cross, 2nd Class, was awarded to publisher Mária Reháková for contributions to cultural development, and to choreographer and teacher Emil Tomáš Bartko for achievements in dance. The Pribina Cross, 3rd Class, was awarded to Elena Zimová for her contributions to social development, especially community charity work in Zvolen through the civic association Srdce na dlani pod Pustým hradom. Finally, the Order of the White Double Cross, 3rd Class, was awarded to Pavel Babka, founder and director of the Babka Gallery in Kovačica, Serbia, for outstanding promotion of the good name of the Slovak Republic abroad.
Source: STVR
