BANSKÁ Bystrica regional governor Marian Kotleba, known for his ties with far-right groups, has not been invited to the official celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP).
Director of the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica, the organiser of the celebrations, Stanislav Mičev, confirmed on August 11 that he that he has not invited Kotleba to attend the celebrations even though he is violating protocol by doing so.
Mičev claims that he wants to be mindful of the official guests and other SNP participants at the celebrations. Kotleba has repeatedly described the SNP as a predominantly communist-led uprising against one’s own state, the TASR newswire reported.
“It doesn’t matter a fig to me whether it’s in line with protocol or not - Mr. Kotleba doesn’t interest me,” Mičev told TASR.
“I won’t invite a fascist to celebrate an anti-fascist uprising - I view it as absurd and disgusting. This means that if Mr Kotleba will have the stomach to come here to look in the eyes of SNP’s participants, he may come - but only as a private person,” said Mičev, adding that if the government orders him to invite Kotleba - which he doesn’t expect to be the case - he himself won’t attend the event.
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.
