Culture Minister protests against Czech President’s comments

The Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic, Marek Maďarič has personally protested against the "expressive, dishonest statement" made by the President of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, during celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia at Prague Castle. In his statement, the Czech president blamed some of the leaders of the Prague Spring in 1968 for being cowards. Among these leaders were Alexander Dubcek, a highly regarded figure in Slovakia. Culture Minister Marek Maďarič protested against these remarks, adding that, "We are particularly grateful to Alexander Dubcek for allowing a rigorous, democratisation process in the early 1960s in Czechoslovakia, which culminating in the so-called Prague Spring." State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Korčok, added to this, suggesting that the Czech president crossed a line.