POLICE intervene at an October 30 rally of ultranationalist group Slovenská pospolitosť (Slovak Togetherness) in Ružomberok-Černová. The group's leader, Marián Kotleba, was accused of supporting fascism, arrested and later released. Slovakia's Attorney General Dobroslav Trnka submitted a proposal to the Supreme Court a day after the disruption requesting that Slovenská pospolitosť be outlawed. See story, page 2. photo: SME - Ján Krošlák |
Trnka says the organization's statutes, programme and activities violate the Slovak Constitution, constitutional laws, acts and international agreements, the TASR news agency reported.
Trnka's decision to propose outlawing the organization comes after a series of public meetings held by Slovenská pospolitosť in Hlohovec, Modra, Černová, and Prešov over the last weekend of October.
Members of the organization present at the meetings were dressed in fascist-style uniforms reminiscent of those worn by the Hlinka Guards - the secret police of the wartime Slovak Republic - a Nazi puppet state.
In Modra, on October 29, police broke up the Slovenská pospolitosť meeting following racist and extremist chants and speeches. One day later, Slovenská pospolitosť had a meeting in Černová where the police apprehended its leader, Marián Kotleba, and accused him of supporting fascism.
He was released after questioning and police did not charge him with any crime. The weekend gatherings culminated in Prešov. A group of people in black uniforms marched through the city, guarded by police. Before the city mayor's office a group of antifascists met the gathering whistling and yelling: "Fascists out of our town".
- Martina Jurinová