The Banska Bystrica city hall and members of the regional parliament on Tuesday condemned the move of regional governor Marian Kotleba, who on the public holiday marking the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) last Friday displayed a banner stating “Stop NATO! Yankees Go Home!” on the façade of the regional authority building.
“The celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the SNP were spoiled by the placing of the banner on the façade of the BBSK building. Banska Bystrica mayor Peter Gogola notified the Banska Bystrica Office for Preservation of Historical Monuments, which acted immediately. The mayor approached the office head on the same day, despite being a public holiday,” said Gogola's press office. The Office for Preservation of Historical Monuments called on Kotleba to remove the banner, as the BBSK headquarters is listed as a historical monument. The city police attempted to deliver the call on the same day, but due to the public holiday, the following weekend and another public holiday (Constitution Day) on Monday, they succeeded as late as on Tuesday. The banner has since been removed.
