Kiska Rejects Attempts at Rewriting History in Constitutionality Celebrations
Bratislava, September 1 (TASR) – Celebrations of constitutionality should be free from attempts to rewrite history with purpose-built nationalist myths, said President Andrej Kiska in his address in the Parliament on Friday.
“We should stop dividing society based on how people thought or acted back then, also because those who disagreed with the political establishment from more than 25 years ago went on to build and serve Slovakia and led it to form a firm partnership with the democratic European community,” said Kiska, who spoke on the 25th anniversary since the Slovak Constitution was adopted.
He noted that it took almost two decades for the Slovak legislature to abolish the so-called Meciar amnesties and went on to call the infamous amnesties “a symbol of authoritative and anti-constitutional exercising of public authority that would stop at nothing”.
Kiska believes that we should rise above disputes while politicians holding executive and lawmaking powers should approach September 1 with particularly great respect.
“The reason for our celebrating Constitution Day today is that the Constitution’s adoption laid the groundwork for a free and democratic Slovakia. We live in a country in which daily life is governed by and set in the framework of the Slovak Constitution,” said the head of state.
He noted that Constitution Day should be entrenched in the hearts of the people and should “be a source and symbol of honest patriotism and pride”.
“But there’s more to it than just celebrating the Constitution. It requires bearing in mind not only the Constitution as such, but also constitutionality and respect for democratic rules,” he added.
“Educating towards patriotism doesn’t only involve our beautiful language, culture, traditions and history. It also entails respect for the law, justice, solidarity, tolerance, and for values that underpin the Constitution of Slovakia as a sovereign and democratic country with a rule of law,” said Kiska.
