Governing-coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Ján Slota has accepted a call for a televised debate by Jánosz Bósza, a member of the Nomos Regionalismus civil association. The debate will centre on the issue of autonomy for the southern part of Slovakia and a planned act on statehood protection proposed by the SNS.
Bósza said that it is his duty to explain to the country what Nomos Regionalismus is really about. He called Slota’s comments that autonomy would be treason a "scare tactic" as well as "criminal, inhumane, discriminatory and unconstitutional".
In reaction to Bosza's statement that Western Europe is full of autonomous regions, and "that we're at least obliged to tell people why you (Slota) think that autonomy in Slovakia would undermine the republic," Slota said that autonomous regions in Western Europe are based on democratic principles, and thus don't pose a threat to statehood. He added that Finland or Sweden may serve as examples.
Slota then pointed to Serbia, saying that the Kosovo issue there has ended in disaster.
"That is, it will end up that way in a few weeks time, when this autonomous province declares independence." [The southern part of Slovakia is home to most of Slovakia's ethnic-Hungarian minority.] TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
