The equestrian statue of Svätopluk will remain in the front courtyard of Bratislava Castle, announced Richard Sulík, Slovakia’s Speaker of Parliament, on September 22, as reported by the TASR newswire.
Sulík said, however, that sculptor Ján Kulich must replace the much criticised double cross on Svätopluk’s shield because it resembles one used by Slovakia’s wartime, Nazi-allied regime. It should be replaced with the image of the double cross currently depicted on Slovakia's coat of arms at the sculptor’s own expense, Sulík added. The text under the statue must also be changed so that only Svätopluk’s name remains along with the years that he ruled in Great Moravia, TASR wrote. Currently the legend calls Svätopluk the “King of the Old Slovaks”
An expert commission appointed by the speaker of parliament to evaluate the appropriateness of the statue’s presence at the castle recommended an alternative location for it but that idea was rejected because it was determined that the proposed site is too close to reconstruction work going on at the castle. That was one of the reasons Sulík offered for not moving the statue to a less prominent setting at the castle, suggesting that his successor can solve this problem later, presumably after the renovation work is completed.
Sulík said he believes his decision will help to defuse an issue that has polarised society since the statue was unveiled in June. But he admitted that he does not think all Slovaks will accept his decision.
Source: 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.
23. Sep 2010 at 10:00
