AS A RESULT of manipulations that took place in preparing the National Strategy for the Protection and Support of Human Rights, the strategy has become an ideological document that does not respect the opinion of a large part of the society, representatives of Christian NGOs claimed at a joint press conference on April 14.
Citizen groups who want the strategy to include topics like protection of human life before birth, conscientious objection and parents’ right to raise their children, are ignored in the preparatory work on the document, Marcela Dobešová of the Fórum Života prolife civic association told the press conference as reported by the TASR newswire.
"In the working groups, the opinion of a certain part of the population is literally ignored. Our opinion is completely marginalised. It reminds me of totalitarianism," added Mária Raucinová from the Slovak Catholic Women's Movement, as quoted by TASR.
Frantisek Neupauer from Christian Institutions Forum (FKI) recalled that FKI sent a letter to Prime Minister Robert Fico that drew attention to the imbalance of opinions in the preparatory committee and that they also asked Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák for a personal meeting.
"Unfortunately the promise of making sure the entire spectrum of opinions will be able to participate on the work on the document hasn't been fulfilled," said Neupauer, as quoted by TASR.
The Foreign Ministry in response indicated that it does not want to exclude any groups from the preparation of the national human rights strategy – nor the Christian institutions.
"All the topics that have been brought up by the representatives of Christian NGOs will be debated at a workshop scheduled for May 7, 2014," said head of the ministry’s press department Peter Susko, as quoted by TASR.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
