Mintimer Shaimiev: Defender of the Motherland Day is a holiday of bounden duty

Celebrations on the occasion of the Defenders of the Fatherland Day were held in the Pyramid Convention Complex on February 22. RT President Mintimer Shaimiev congratulated the military personnel and veterans.

“The name doesn’t matter; during all the times this holiday was the holiday of bounden duty of the country’s every adult, - the head of the republic has said, appealing to those, who gather in the hall. – Carrying out of the debt depended on time and scale of events. Our citizens carried out and carry out all difficulties. We are indebted before those, who defended our Motherland, giving their lives”. According to the President, feat, committed with defenders of our country, are “the symbol and example in all the times”.

Mintimer Shaimiev has named feat of World War II to be all national. “Memory about this victory has no price. So many lives were given to this Victory! 23rd February holiday is all national’ and nobody has a right to forget about it”, the President underlined.

The head of Tatarstan has also indicated a necessity of grateful attitude to those, who fought in Afghanistan. “It was more difficult than in the years of was, - the head of the republic considers. – One thing is to defend your native lands; and another thing is to defend interests of policy, which was held by the country that time”.

Mintimer Shaimiev has expressed sorrow that “Tatarstan solders died in peaceful period in North Caucuses”. More than 12 thousand military men from the republic took part in Chechnya and Dagestan operations.

The head of the republic has paid attention at RF President does a lot for providing fight ability and order in the army. “Russia must be strong, having such territories and such natural recourses; - Mintimer Shaimiev has expressed his opinion. – It is all our people’s debt”.

At the end of his speech the President has thanked all people in the hall, including students of military educational organization for the choice of the profession; he also has thanked all citizens of the republic for contribution they make into the republic’s development. “The country creates. And the way we chose is the way of a person, turned to world civilization. Our ancestors defended this way”, he has summed up.