Good evening. Here is the Monday, September 9 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Memorial day overshadowed by Fico's comment about Ukrainians
PM Robert Fico (Smer) during his visit to the Holocaust Museum in Sereď on Monday. (source: TASR)
On this day 83 years ago, Jews living in the wartime and Nazi-allied Slovak state experienced a turning point. The government adopted the so-called Jewish Code, the goal of which was to eliminate this minority from public life. It fundamentally limited their rights and freedoms.
On September 9, Memorial Day for victims of the Holocaust and racial violence in Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico visited the Holocaust Museum in Sereď, western Slovakia. He stated that anti-fascism and the commemoration of Holocaust victims must be a fundamental component of the state educational programme.
"Everybody who attends secondary school should visit a museum like this. So that they can, with their own eyes, see in photographs what kind of crap the Nazis and fascists did," Fico said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
"We all talk about fascism, Nazism, yet we silently tolerate the fact that there are units in Ukraine clearly bearing a label connecting them to movements that we consider dangerous and forbidden today. Since it is a geopolitical battle, no one cares, " he added.
In the past, the Azov brigade in Ukraine's army drew controversy over its association with far-right groups and neo-Nazi ideology. It has also been a recurring theme in Kremlin propaganda as part of the central pretext of "denazifying" Ukraine.
Fico also believes that the word fascist is used with great ease in Slovakia, saying that, "as soon as you have any other opinion, you are immediately labeled a fascist."
Related: The Jewish Code was a decree on the legal status of Jews. Its creators were openly inspired by the Nazi Nuremberg Laws of 1935. The code targeted all areas of their life; from defining who is considered a Jew, bans, restrictions, to the confiscation of their property. The goal was to eliminate Jews from public life, fundamentally limiting the personal, civil, religious and social rights of Jews. It also introduced public labeling. According to Ján Hlavinka from the Institute of History of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, "it was written in a way that Jews could not defend themselves against its provisions and official decisions," he told the Slovak Spectator.
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FEATURE STORY
Still proud of Slovakia
Former Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
Former president Zuzana Čaputová will spend the coming months at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, engaging in discussions on how to counter attacks on democracy. She will not allow her pride in Slovakia to be dampened by those currently monopolising patriotism and defining who can be a patriot.
"Let's try to be aware that some are inviting us into a permanent conflict, and let's maintain our distance from it," she says in an interview.
EVENT FOR THE COMING WEEKS
Legendary festival to start soon
Jozef Lupták playing at the Konvergencie festival. (source: Jarmila Uhlíková)
This year, the Konvergencie international chamber music festival celebrates its 25th anniversary. Taking place in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica and Žilina from September 12 to October 8, the programme will offer several concerts, workshops, theatrical performances and more. Get your tickets and learn more about the programme here.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Bratislava airport, parliament, Presidential Palace, Piešťany airport and the main railway station in Trnava received a threatening e-mail on Monday. Both airports have bolstered security measures, the police are monitoring the railway station. A criminal investigation has been launched for the offence of spreading a false alarm. (TASR)
On Monday, the Košice regional police reported another bomb threat aimed at churches in the region. Last Friday, Saint Elizabeth's Cathedral in Košice was closed due to a bomb threat, with no explosives found in the cathedral in the end. Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) said that the police are cooperating with foreign partners in the investigation as well as identifying the attacker. (Korzár, TASR)
At this year's Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Slovakia won three gold and two silver medals. Compared to the previous games, the result is worse than at the Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro games Slovakia won 11 medals each. The shooter Veronika Vadovičová won gold and silver, while Radoslav Malenovský captured silver. Para-cyclist Jozef Metelka clinched the gold. Peter Lovaš and Ján Riapoš won their first gold together in para table tennis doubles. (Sportnet)
Next year, the popular Pohoda music festival will return. After a tent collapsed due to a storm during this year's edition, the festival ended prematurely. It was not immediately known whether another will take place. A series of concerts to support the organisers was immediately launched after the cancellation. Next year's edition will take place on July 10-12.
According to Bloomberg, the process of blocking European funds for Slovakia is in the initial phase, and its continuation requires the approval of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The reason for doing so is supposed to be the abolition of the Special Prosecutor's Office. Bloomberg reports there are several proposals on the table; Slovakia could lose a certain amount of money from the €12.8 billion in cohesion funds, or funding from the recovery plan could be blocked. According to TASR newswire, the EC is analysing the recent reform of the Penal Code in Slovakia, with the EC is criticising the Slovak government over its reduction of penalties for crimes related to the misuse of European funds. The process has not been completed, nor has any decision regarding the activation of any mechanisms related to European funds been taken. (TASR)
On Saturday, Košice Aviation Days took place. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Mostly overcast skies with showers, rain expected in many places. Daily temperatures between 16 °C to 21 °C, in central Slovakia 21 °C to 25 °C. (SHMÚ)
SEPTEMBER 10 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Oleg
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