Retired lieutenant colonel István Papp has been presented with the honourable award „For the Homeland” by the Minister of Defence. At the event held at the MoD on 16 February Csaba Hende praised the courage of the UN employee.

As it is known, István Papp was participating in UN operations to demobilise child soldiers in Darfur province, Western Sudan, when he was taken hostage. The minister emphasized that during the long captivity István Papp had not been broken either physically or mentally. He returned safe and sound thanks to his military training. Minister of Defence said it was moving to see the courageous soldier kiss the fatherland on returning home. Lieutenant Colonel István Papp said his military training had helped him endure captivity. He is going to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Haiti.

Translated by Dóra Darnyik

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