The Declaration of Sovereignty of the Slovak Republic was an act of national self-confidence, and history has confirmed that its adoption was necessary, Parliamentary Speaker Richard Raši (Hlas-SD) said at Saturday's celebrations marking the 34th anniversary of the declaration in Stará Bystrica.
Raši recalled milestones in Slovak history, including the codification of the Slovak language, the establishment of the Slovak Parliament, the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation, and the Slovak National Uprising. "A nation that does not have the opportunity to decide for itself and does not create its own values, policies, or laws is dependent on the will of others," he said.
Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický (Smer-SD) said sovereignty means a nation's right to determine its own future. He argued that Slovakia's sovereignty is particularly important today, criticizing Europe for promoting rearmament instead of peace and economic measures that, he said, run counter to the interests of some member states.
Parliament adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty in 1992 while Slovakia was still part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. Since October 1993, 17 July has been observed as a commemorative day in Slovakia.
Source: TASR
