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Slovakia shouldn't tolerate any displays of fascism: president

Xinhua, August 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Slovakia shouldn't tolerate any displays of fascism, said Slovak President Andrej Kiska Monday at a national commemoration event marking the 72nd anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising during WWII in Banska Bystrica.

Slovakia shouldn't celebrate a state holiday marking an uprising against fascism while at the same time tolerating any displays of fascism, he said.

According to Kiska, the state shouldn't take up an indifferent posture towards the opinion that Aug. 29, 1944, the date on which the uprising began, was a black day in Slovak history.

"We can't play tactically. It isn't possible to come to this site, endorsing this brilliant chapter in our modern history with head held high, laying wreaths at memorials to the fallen, but at the same time indifferently overlook opinions that Aug. 29, 1944 was allegedly a black day in Slovak history. We can and must come to understand the causes of open support for neo-Nazism, fascism, racism and ever more open displays of hate," Kiska said.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico praised in his speech the role of the Soviet red Army in the liberation of Slovakia during WWII.

"I'll never introduce antipathy into Slovak-Russian relations, and I refuse to create a new enemy," Fico said.

The event, taking place under the auspices of Slovakia's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was also attended by Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko, several other members of the Cabinet, former president Ivan Gasparovic, European Commission Vice-president Maros Sefcovic and representatives of more than 30 embassies. Endit