The People Against Racism (ĽPR) civic association said on July 31 that Slovak National Party (SNS) vice-chair Anna Belousovová has a one-sided opinion of hate-related incidents that took place at a match between the Dunajská Streda (Trnava region) and Spartak Trnava football clubs last week.
Belousovová said that some of the Dunajská Streda fans sang the Hungarian national anthem, shouted offensive remarks about the Slovak nation, celebrated "Greater Hungary", and waved "Greater Hungarian" flags.
"The Football Association should punish this by putting a stop to football matches in Dunajská Streda," Belousovová told the TASR newswire on July 30.
ĽPR office manager Juraj Kiss said that Dunajská Streda fans should consider whether they want to present themselves with symbols that enrage their rivals, but added that "Spartak Trnava fans should also realise that an anthem is an expression of cultural identity and doesn't serve to provoke opponents."
Kiss noted that nationalist expressions of hatred towards Hungarians were heard coming from the mouths of the Spartak fans.
"We would appreciate it if politicians and other members of the social and cultural elite expressed statements promoting co-operation instead of inciting and evoking feelings of discrimination among one of the sides," Kiss said. 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.
