PRESIDENT Andrej Kiska awarded participants of a protest which took place in Moscow 1968 against Warsaw Pact armies (led by the Soviet Army) invasion of Czechoslovakia on August 21, 1968 during an event taking place on October 27.
Kiska said that the protest was an extraordinary demonstration of braveness and the names of eight protesters will always be the symbol of courage: Natália Gorbanevská, Viktor Fajnberg, Vladimír Dremljuga, Pavel Litvinov, Konstantin Babickij, Vadim Delone, Larisa Bogorazová a Tatiana Bajevová.
“Even 46 years after events of August 1968 this act carries the extraordinary message of sincere compassion,” Kiska said in press release. “Those young people determinedly and bravely expressed their opinion about one of the most tragic events of our modern history. Our thanks and respect belongs to them for that.”
As part of the event, the President awarded Natália Gorbanevská the Order of the Double White Cross, second class (in memoriam) as well as Viktor Isaakovič Fainberg, Pavlov Litvinov and Vladimír Drejmliug with the Medal of the President of the Slovak Republic, according to a press release.
Litvinov and Drejmliug will receive awards via the Slovak Embassy in Washington and Isaakovič Fainberg accepted it in person.
In a speech Isaakovič Fainberg stressed that, “if a nation oppresses another nation it is a lack of freedom, but even those who have a neutral stance participate in the oppression of other nations”, reads press release.
(Source: President’s webpage)
Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
