preložiť The President conferred state honours. We have heroes at home, we don't have to look for them in foreign leaders, he said in his speech
President Peter Pellegrini presented state honours to personalities of Slovakia. According to our Head of State, it is a recognition of the whole society for what they have done for others with their deeds and their lives.
On Saturday evening, President Peter Pellegrini presented a state decoration on the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment of independent Slovakia, which falls on 1 January.
Address by the President
"We do not have to find our value in admiring foreign leaders, countries or other powers. Slovakia has its own achievements, its own heroes and a unique path of which it can be justly proud," the President said at the beginning of his speech.
"That is why we have come here today, to honour those who, without big words or bombastic advertisements, have created and are creating the creative identity of our nation every day. These are the people who don't smile at us from the front pages, the tabloids, and often we don't even read about them on social media. These are people who, for the most part, we might routinely encounter on the tram, on the bus or at work," he continued.
The award will also go to those who are sadly no longer here. "Through their courageous actions during the Slovak National Uprising, they shaped the heroic consciousness of the Slovak nation," the President explained.
He praised their work and how they are a role model for us. In their way, according to the President, they are moving Slovakia forward.
"The story of our Slovakia is ultimately woven from the fates and stories of people like you. The story of a nation that had to seek its place in the sun and among other nations. A nation that did not build its identity on the cruelty or oppression of others, but on its modesty, hard work, skill and talent. It managed to do so despite unfavourable conditions, also thanks to the qualities that you represent today and that Slovaks have always been able to rely on and can rely on," he said.
Ocenení
Lívia Ludhová, scientist-physicist, geologist - state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Second Class, civic type, for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of science and technology, as well as for extraordinary spreading of the good name of the Slovak Republic abroad
Zoltán Oláh, ophthalmologist - state award of the Ľudovít Štúr Order of the First Class, civic type, for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of science and technology, as well as for extraordinary spreading of the reputation of the Slovak Republic abroad
Jana Pekarovičová, Director of the Studia Academica Slovaca Summer School of Slovak Language and Culture - the state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Third Class, civic rank, for extraordinary dissemination of the reputation of the Slovak Republic abroad
Alfred Piffl, architect, conservationist, educator, archaeologist - state decoration Pribina's Cross 1st class in memoriam for extraordinary contribution to the cultural development of the Slovak Republic
Jozef Psotka, mountaineer - state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Third Class, civic kind, in memoriam for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of sport
Anatolij Dvurečenskij, mathematician - state decoration of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Second Class, civic kind, in memoriam, for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of science and technology
Juraj Kukura, actor - state decoration Pribina's Cross, 1st class, for extraordinary contribution to the cultural development of the Slovak Republic
Eva Kowalská, historian - state award Pribina Cross of the 2nd Class for extraordinary merits for the cultural development of the Slovak Republic
Miroslav Kozák, teacher of mathematics and chemistry - state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Third Class, civic type, for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of education
Vlasta Hudecová, voice teacher - state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Third Class, civic rank, for extraordinary merits for the development of the Slovak Republic in the field of culture
Ján Michálek, ethnologist - state decoration Pribín's Cross of the Second Class in memoriam for extraordinary merits for the cultural development of the Slovak Republic
Peter Murdza, anticommunist resistance fighter - state decoration of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Second Class, civic kind, in memoriam for extraordinary merits for democracy and its development, human rights and freedoms and their protection
Juraj Sipko, economist - state decoration of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Second Class, civic rank, in memoriam, for extraordinary dissemination of the good name of the Slovak Republic abroad
In memoriam ocenenia pre účastníkov SNP
Karol Peknik, participant of the Slovak National Uprising - state decoration of the Order of Ľudovít Štúr I. class, military comrade, in memoriam for extraordinary merits for the defence and security of the Slovak Republic
Margita Kocková, anti-fascist fighter - state decoration of the Order of Ľudovít Štúr I Class, civilian type, in memoriam for extraordinary merits for democracy and its development, human rights and freedoms and their protection
Živodar Tvarožek, anti-fascist fighter - state award of the Ludovít Štúr Order of the Second Class, civic rank, in memoriam for extraordinary services to democracy and its development, human rights and freedoms and their protection
Margita Kocková, anti-fascist fighter - state decoration of the Order of Ľudovít Štúr, 1st class, civic rank, in memoriam for extraordinary merits for democracy and its development, human rights and freedoms and their protection
Karol Kuna, participant of the SNP - state decoration of the Order of Ľudovít Štúr II Class, military rank, in memoriam for extraordinary services to democracy and its development, human rights and freedoms and their protection
The ceremony attracted media and public attention in advance due to the announcement by actress Zdena Studenkova that she had refused the award from the head of state because of the situation in Slovak culture.
Some of our artists had earlier spoken out against Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová, who, among other things, dismissed the directors of leading cultural institutions.
Watch the live entry before the award ceremony.
For Pellegrini, it will be the first event of its kind since he was sworn in as president last June. Reacting to the announcement by actress Studenková (70), the president said she had been shortlisted for the state honour in view of her round jubilee. Pellegrini said, however, that there are a sufficient number of other citizens in Slovakia who deserve honours for their work.
A year ago, then-President Zuzana Čaputová honoured 33 personalities from various areas of social life.
See the report from 15 January about the honours awarded by President Zuzana Čaputová.