Special handmade gift brought to Lukashenko from Slovakia
A delegation from Slovakia’s Spisska Nova Ves visited the Palace of Independence to present a special gift to President Aleksandr Lukashenko as it came to Belarus to participate in events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory, BelTA reports
It is not the first time that representatives of Slovakia have come to Belarus on their own initiative to pay tribute to the heroes and victims of the Second World War. This is a special mission for them, it is filled with great meaning, for which they are ready to overcome any logistical difficulties. Moreover, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico is showing a corresponding example: despite all the attempts of some Western politicians to block his path, he arrived at the parade in Moscow on May 9th.
On the same day, the Slovak delegation from Spisska Nova Ves attended the parade on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in Minsk. In addition, the foreign guests took part in memorial events in Yelsk – a small Belarusian city connected with the fate of a USSR Hero, one of the few foreigners awarded this high title, Slovakian Jan Nalepka. Born in one of the villages of the Spisska Nova Vesa District, the young Slovak joined the Yelsk regiment in 1942 and created an underground anti-fascist group there. The members of the Slovak delegation handed over the artefacts related to the hero to the local museum of Yelsk.
Another memorable event commemorating the feat of those who died during the Second World War became symbolic: a capsule with soil from Slovakia's largest burial site of Soviet soldiers in Michalovce (where more than 17.8 thousand people are buried) was given to the Memorial Church of All Saints in Minsk. The crypt of the latter keeps dozens of capsules with soil from the burial sites of soldiers of the Great Patriotic War.
"We, in Slovakia, remember who liberated our country during the Second World War. Slovaks have not lost their memory. We honour the memory of the victims and liberators, soldiers of the Soviet army. This is also a very important topic for the Prime Minister of Slovakia and the result of his visit [to Russia on the Victory Day celebrations],” Branislav Rusiniak, the head of the Spisska Nova Vesa regional territorial administration who led the delegation, said.
Belarus demonstrates a very reverent and attentive attitude to the memory of every war hero, and the work to establish all the facts about the events of those terrible years still continues, because every fact is important. Seeing such attention to the memory of the war in society, the Slovak delegation considered it necessary to make its contribution. In 2024, its participants came to the parade on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus. This March, they sent capsules with soil from a Slovak village destroyed by the Nazis in 1945 to the museum of the Khatyn Memorial Complex.
According to the delegation members, Slovakia knows that preserving the memory of the Second World War is part of the official policy of Belarus and its President, and they respect the Belarusian leader for that very much. Thanks to him, Belarus remains steadfastly committed to the peaceful resolution of any conflicts and disputes. It was in Minsk, at the Palace of Independence, that the Normandy Four negotiations took place and efforts to establish peace in Ukraine were concentrated. Belarus has always done, is doing and will do everything to ensure peace.
"Slovaks and Belarusians are fraternal Slavic peoples. We need to work together regardless of the political situation. Your President is a friend to us," Mr. Rusiniak emphasised.
As a sign of special respect and friendship, the foreign guests brought an unusual gift for the Belarusian leader: a portrait of Aleksandr Lukashenko made by a Slovak master in the technique of embroidery on canvas. Explaining how the idea of such a gift was born, the head of the delegation noted that the same master had once produced a portrait of Robert Fico using a similar technique. Upon learning about that, Mr. Rusiniak asked to create a portrait of the President of Belarus with the hope of handing it over to the Head of State.
This opportunity was provided to the foreign guests: they were invited to the Palace of Independence, where they met with the Press Secretary of the President, Natalya Eismont. The Slovaks not only presented their gift but also enjoyed an excursion along the symbol of Belarusian sovereignty and independence. “It is a great honour for us to visit the palace, and these impressions will never leave us. We wish that there would always be peace, that Slovaks and Belarusians would live in peace! We advocate for friendship between nations," Mr. Rusiniak said on behalf of all members of the delegation.
Ms. Eismont noted that handmade gifts are of particular value because they retain the warmth and a piece of the soul of those who made them. She assured that the portrait would be transferred to the museum of gifts to the Head of State, in the Palace of Independence.
The parties agreed that this would become another element in strengthening the Belarusian-Slovak friendship and further developing relations. Along with the warm meeting and conversation between the leaders of Belarus and Slovakia in Moscow on May 9th, this inspires optimism and indicates that there are sensible, pragmatic politicians who prioritise the interests of their countries and peoples.
