Caputova: SNP Reminds Us of Who We Are and Who We Want to Be

Banska Bystrica, August 29 (TASR) – In August 1944, a part of the Slovak nation stood against the absolute historic evil – Nazism and Fascism – to defend humanity and civilisation, President Zuzana Caputova stated on Sunday at the official commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) in Banska Bystrica, praising the participants in the uprising for their fight for a greater cause.

“The uprising defended the values on which the democratic and humane world has stood to this day, we celebrate it as one of Slovakia’s most important national holidays because it reminds us of who we are, who we want to be and what we stand for,” the president remarked.

In this vein, Caputova noted the country is facing difficult times even in the present. “Last year brought many sacrifices and much sadness, as well as anger and disappointment. All of these emotions are human and therefore they are natural. However, there’s one emotion which I find dangerous and which should have no place among the natural ones, namely hatred and incitement to hatred,” said the president, adding that hatred has never solved anything and that it ultimately led to the atrocities of the Second World War.

“Let’s not allow hatred to take over our country, let’s not allow it to dictate us what we should think of others, let’s not allow it to divide us as a society. Let’s follow the example of our partisan heroes, who fought side by side for a common greater cause,” said Caputova.