Slovakia could ask the Czech Republic to remove a portrayal of Slovakia as a salami tied by a string in the colours of the Hungarian tricolour from an art installation entitled Entropa which was unveiled at the European Council building in Brussels on January 15.
Slovakia's Foreign Minister Ján Kubiš voiced his objections to this portrayal of Slovakia prior to its official unveiling in a phone call with the Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra. He informed Vondra that after further deliberations and according to the reactions of other EU member states, Slovakia might choose to ask the Czech Republic to remove the art installation, the SITA wrote.
The Czech Deputy Prime Minister explained that Entropa should be understood as a work of art and as an expression of artistic freedom, not intended to insult anyone. He confirmed that he would respect any request to remove the portrayal of Slovakia. The art installation was commissioned by the Czech Republic to mark the start of its six-month presidency of the European Union.
The Czech Republic hired the artist David Černý to put the project together. The work, which caricatures individual EU member states, has upset some countries. David Černý said he "had wanted to find out if Europe was able to laugh at itself". During the official unveiling on Thursday, Vondra apologised, with Černý joining him. They said that did not want to offend anybody. The Czech Deputy Prime Minister said that art was freedom and Entropa was art, nothing less and nothing more. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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