On the occasion of War Veterans Day, which will be commemorated on Monday 11 November, Governor of the Pilsen Region Kamal Farhan presented awards to war veterans who were deployed in UN and NATO military operations in Albania, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The traditional ceremonial act was held for the fourth time, hosted by the Semler Residence, a unique space of the Pilsen Region – the West Bohemian Gallery in Pilsen.
"The Czech Republic is actively involved in international efforts to end armed conflicts in various parts of the world and is helping to create conditions for the return of war-affected territories to peaceful life. This effort also includes the deployment of Czech soldiers to peacekeeping and combat missions abroad. And it is these people who deserve a huge amount of thanks and respect. They risked their lives for all of us. Their families, who had to cope with being separated from their loved ones and, what is more, had to trust that their loved ones would return home in good health, deserve the same thanks. Therefore, it is a great honour for me to thank the now war veterans at least symbolically – by presenting them with a commemorative medal," said Kamal Farhan, the Governor of the Pilsen Region.
After the award ceremony, the attendees, including representatives of the Regional Military Headquarters in Pilsen, the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, the Association of War Veterans of the Czech Republic, and the Czechoslovak Legionary Community, observed a moment of silence in memory of the soldiers who died on military missions. Since 1989, thirty soldiers have died on foreign missions, two of them from the Pilsen Region.
- Lt. Col. in memoriam Nikolai Martynov 3 May 2007
- Staff Sgt. in memoriam Patrik Štěpánek 5 August 2018
The tradition of presenting awards to war veterans was established in 2021 by the then Governor of the Pilsen Region Ilona Mauritzová.
Awarded war veterans
Major General Ing. Rostislav Kotil
Colonel MUDr. Ivan Jeřábek
Colonel MUDr. Jindřich Sitta
Lieutenant Colonel Ing. Ivan Čiliak
Lieutenant Colonel MUDr. Jaroslav Jirouš
Lieutenant Colonel Ing. Jan Soukup
Major Marie Remešová
Major MUDr. Ladislav Vojta
Major Ing. Stanislav Kolářík
Chief Warrant Officer Bc. Robert Plzák
Warrant Officer Blanka Polanská
Warrant Officer Bohumil Matějovic
Staff Sergeant Tomáš Kasl
Master Sergeant Petr Bláha
Bc. Pavla Odvárková