President: Training to Become Reservist Difficult, Requires Strong Team Spirit

Bratislava, 17 July (TASR) – Training in the National Defence Forces (NOS) as a reservist is physically demanding and requires strong team spirit, said President Peter Pellegrini during his participation in NOS training at the Turecky vrch military training area. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), who is also taking part in the first round of training, shared a similar view. Responding to criticism of his involvement, Pellegrini noted that he could have spent his holiday "lying on a beach in Greece", but considered his choice to undergo training to be more productive. He described the NOS project as a better alternative to compulsory military service. Pellegrini revealed that he's signed a five-year contract, and he expressed interest in further training with an engineering unit in Sered. He also stated that in the event of natural disasters, he is prepared to be mobilised and assist the population, despite holding the highest office in the country. Minister Kalinak confirmed that the training is physically difficult, remarking that he was surprised by the intensity of the schedule, which begins with a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call followed by morning exercises. Kalinak announced that he will donate his €3,000 training allowance to a military foundation. He rejected claims that NOS reserve training — available for civilians at a cost of €1,500 — is merely an expensive promotional campaign for the Slovak armed forces. mf/df