Prominent figures from public life and culture are calling upon the chairs of the democratic political parties to employ democratic means to stop the creeping fascistisation of Slovakia, according to the TASR press agency. A total of 36 public personalities warn that the situation is dire, seeing as there are even individuals in the Slovak Parliament who openly embrace the legacy of the WWII Slovak state. The signatories of the appeal thus call for democratic politicians to join forces and endorse a single candidate in next year's regional elections in the Banská Bystrica region where the incumbent regional governor is Marian Kotleba, the chair of far-right People's Party Our Slovakia. "The neo-Nazis' road to the Parliament began with the victory of Marian Kotleba (ĽSNS) in the Banská Bystrica regional governor race, and it is there where we should make a clear and resolute stand - we being a broad coalition of people, political parties and movements that honour democracy, the Slovak Constitution and human rights for everyone," reads the text of the appeal. According to the signatories, differences of opinion are inevitable and even beneficial for democracy, but now is not the time for bickering, but rather seeking common ground, as the gradual "browning" of Slovakia puts the very option of a plurality of opinions in jeopardy. "Today, as the majority of parties are nominating their candidates for this election, we're asking you to put society's interests first, before partisanship," reads the message.
Among the signatories are Le Payaco band singer Tomáš Sloboda, producer Zuzana Mistríková, former finance minister Brigita Schmögnerová, neurologist Pavel Traubner, historian Eduard Nižňanský, historian Ivan Kamenec of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, political analyst and historian Juraj Marušiak, IT entrepreneur Ivan Štefunko, actress Judita Hansmann, civic activist Romana Schlesinger, Jewish Culture Museum director Pavol Mešťan and university professor Ondrej Prostredník. Košice State Theatre Ballet director Ondrej Šoth, writer Jana Juráňová, musician Filip Orátor, biochemist Jozef Ivan, publicist and journalist Zolo Mikeš, comedian Jan Gordulič, poet Marcel Lacko are also among the signatories.
