“Receiving decoration from an international criminal like Vladimir Putin, not only because of Ukraine but also because of his previous work for the KGB and at least 250 people he has on his conscience from the time he has been president, is a difficult moral issue,” historian Dr Stane Granda believes, who added that each person that had decided to accept the decoration now has to decide whether they will return it. Below, we are publishing a list of all recipients of Russian state decorations. Some have already returned their decoration, and we have sent questions to those who have not done so yet – when will they do it?
In early March, the Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS) council group called on the Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, to immediately end the city’s friendship with Moscow in light of Putin’s aggression against an independent and sovereign state of Ukraine, thus showing a touch of solidarity with the people of Ukraine. The call that was sent to the mayor was signed by Igor Horvat, head of the SDS council group in the municipality of Ljubljana, and Mojca Škrinjar, an SDS councillor in the municipality of Ljubljana and an MP. The Mayor of Ljubljana received the award at the same time as former Minister of Labour, Anja Kopač Mrak, who had already returned the Order of Friendship and also commented on her action on Twitter, writing that this was her sign of protest against Russia’s actions. She also added a hashtag that reads “for peace.” However, it seems that Janković is not willing to give up his own decoration.
Before Janković and Kopač Mrak, the late chairman of the management board of the Krka pharmaceutical company, Miloš Kovačič, the current chairman of the board of the same company, Jože Colarič, director of the Rik company, Janez Škrabec, and chairman of the Slovenia-Russia Friendship Society, Saša Geržina, had also received Russian decoration – and the latter has promised that the Society would soon make an official statement on the matter.
In addition to Kopač Mrak, who returned the Order of Friendship and added that she was very proud of this award and was equally proud to return it – for peace, another person who returned the award is Lieutenant-colonel Marko Hlastec, who returned the medal that was given to him by the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defence. In a message he sent to the Russian Embassy, the Lieutenant-Colonel expressed outrage over Russia’s attack on the independent and the sovereign Republic of Ukraine. He wrote that the implementation of common tasks for the benefit of both the Slovenian and Russian nations has always been based on the celebration of the value of patriotism, which has been important for many generations of both nations, and which is also the reason why Ukrainians are now defending their homeland. As a man and as a soldier, he deeply respects this value and believes that the attack on Ukraine is a violent and unacceptable act, which is why he is returning the medal.
There were also several other recipients of the medals of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, but the records at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are not kept when it comes to this matter because this is not a state decoration. In addition to the people mentioned above, Dr Andreja Rihter, Director of the Forum of Slavic Cultures, and Marjan Eberlinc, chairman of the management board of the Plinovodi company, had also received the Order of Friendship, which is the highest decoration awarded by the Russian Federation to foreigners. With this decoration, Russian honours those who have contributed to strengthening the peace and friendship – and perhaps that is exactly why it would be appropriate for such a decoration, which symbolises peace and friendship, to be returned. However, Mayor Janković told Siol that the recognition he received from Putin “will continue to be a memory and a sign of hope for world peace.” The mayor did not respond to our questions.
By decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Janja Urbas, a specialist language editor at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, and professor Julija Mesarič (who is Russian but has lived in Slovenia for many years now), who is also the director of the Vesela dRuščina institute, were also awarded a high decoration of the Russian Federation in 2013 – the Pushkin medal, for their important contribution to the promotion and teaching of the Russian language and the preservation and development of Russian culture abroad. The Pushkin medal is awarded to Russian citizens and foreigners for merits in the fields of culture and arts, education, humanities and literature, for their contribution to the study and preservation of cultural heritage, for bringing cultures of nations and nationalities closer and enriching them, as well as for the creation of works of art. Janez Koželj, Deputy Mayor of the City of Ljubljana, also received a medal named after the poet, writer and playwright Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. Koželj is a professor of urban architecture at the Faculty of Architecture in Ljubljana, but it is not entirely clear how he earned Pushkin’s medal. Saša Slavec and Igor Furlan, members of the Slovenian-Russian Friendship Society, have also received the state award of gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation.
Historian Dr Stane Granda believes that decorations are, in principle, an expression of human vanity. Full museum depots are their real value and significance. In fact, they say more about the person who accepts them and publicly displays them than about their own content. There are also exceptions when they represent public thanks when you cannot be repaid with money. Although firefighters are probably the most popular recipients of medals, they should not be ashamed of them because they got them for doing the work that can never be repaid. The same is true for certain military medals that ordinary soldiers, not officers, receive for their actions. Medals and similar public awards are also given to scientists for discoveries and works that help save individuals or even the world. If we do not want to be unjust, we have to judge this on a case-by-case basis. There is not one thing in the world that cannot be abused. This is especially true for decorations in general. Throughout history, they have become part of folklore and, as a rule, are given to many solely because of their position and age. They cannot even reject them. Especially since the people awarding them with the decoration would take this as a personal insult. Therefore, it is much more remarkable and important when you do not accept a decoration, even though it belongs to you.
We know many cases of abuse of decorations – Kučan spat on democracy and independence
Granda also explained that the Soviet Union was probably the first in history to create an inflation of decorations. With them, it “decorates” – this is an old and internationally established term – those that the authorities love or need, and this is the easiest way to satisfy them. They are a kind of substitute to the words “thank you.” However, saying thank you, when it is said with honesty, has an above-average value and significance that is difficult to accomplish for dishonest people. Attaching a tin, shiny piece of metal to someone’s chest is infinitely easier. It is the perfect job for hypocrites and extreme humiliation for those who fall for it. We know of many cases of abuse of decorations. In recent Slovenian history, the most famous is the one where the leading men of Slovenian independence, starting with Dr Dimitrij Rupel, returned the highest Slovenian state decorations in a plastic bag, left with the gatekeeper of the Presidential Palace. By awarding them to Zdenko Roter and Jan Plestenjak, Milan Kučan defiled these decorations in the most awful way. He literally spat on democracy and independence. He equated the enemies of Slovenianness and democracy with those who sacrificed everything for it.
Here is the list of all awarded decorations/state awards of recognition of the Russian Federation to the citizens of the Republic of Slovenia
The Order of Friendship
- Dr Andreja Rihter, director of the Forum of Slavic Cultures
VRS decision no. 09400-1/2021/3 of 11. 2. 2021 - Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana
VRS decision no. 09401-5/2016/3 of 15. 9. 2016 - Anja Kopač Mrak, Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (returned)
VRS decision no. 09401-5/2016/3 of 15. 9. 2016 - Marjan Eberlinc, chairman of the Management Board of Plinovodi d.o.o.
VRS decision no. 09401-8/2012/3 of 14. 6. 2012 - Jože Colarič, chairman of the Management Board of Krka
VRS decision no. 09401-22/2009/2 of 1. 10. 2009 - Janez Škrabec, director of the Riko company
VRS decision no. 09401-21/2009/2 of 1. 10. 2009 - Saša Ivan Geržina, President of the Slovenia-Russia Friendship Society
VRS decision no. 09401-3/2006/4 of 11. 5. 2006 - Miloš Kovačič (deceased), former chairman of the Management Board of Krka
The Pushkin Medal
- Janez Koželj, Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana
VRS decision no. 09401-5/2016/3 of 15. 9. 2016 - professor Janja Urbas, language editor at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana
VRS decision no. 09401-8/2012/3 of 14. 6. 2012 - professor Julija Mesarič, Director of the Vesela dRuščina institute
VRS decision no. 09401-8/2012/3 of 14. 6. 2012
State award of gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation
- Saša Slavec
VRS decision no. 09401-3/2006/4 of 11. 5. 2006 - Igor Furlan
VRS decision no. 09401-3/2006/4 of 11. 5. 2006
The Medal of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (not a state decoration)
- Commander of the Slovenian Army Guard Unit, Lieutenant-Colonel Marko Hlastec (returned)
This is their religion, and Putin’s holy objects are its symbol
Receiving decoration from an international criminal like Vladimir Putin, not only because of Ukraine but also because of his previous work for the KGB and at least 250 people he has on his conscience from the time he has been President, is a difficult moral issue. And each person that had decided to accept the decoration now has to decide whether they will return it. According to Granda, Janković and Jože Colarič, chairman of the Krka Management Board, are not really in the same position. Janković received the decoration because of his political nature and as a declared enemy of democracy, which is something he is not even trying to hide. The same goes for Kučan’s anti-fascist camaraderie. To these, the international recognition from the world “patriarch” of anti-democracy, political violence, the mastermind of insidious beastly killings, the murderer of children and women, is just confirmation that they are walking down the right path in order to return to power. Thanks to Putin for marking the people that every humanist and democrat should fear. Not only should they keep the decorations, but they should always wear them in public so that we will know and see what they are capable of and prepared for: “Discreditation and liquidation,” said Kučan. This is their religion, and Putin’s holy objects are its symbol.
Some receive the award because of their political nature, others for their good work
According to historian Granda, Colarič received the award because of the company Krka, as the company’s medicines save the lives of many Russians and which employs a large part of the Dolenjska region, especially women, and provides them with a life worthy of a person. He did not receive it because of Putin. In this case, he is merely a collateral “phenomenon.” Personally, Colarič is a very modest man, but he probably has the same attitude towards this decoration as the great Slovenian writer Ciril Kosmač, who was asked when writing his official biography how many and what decorations he had received: “Unfortunately I cannot answer you. The children played with them, I hung some around the neck of our dog at home, and I do not know where he put them!” We also asked Colarič for a comment and will publish it as soon as we receive it.
Sara Bertoncelj
