Slovakia marked the 36th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution with officials highlighting the need to defend democracy, human rights and deeper moral values. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár warned against what he described as an era of “one correct opinion,” criticizing the opposition and some media for misusing the holiday and manipulating the idea of free expression. The Nation’s Memory Institute recalled that the fall of communism restored democracy and freedoms, stressing the importance of commemorating victims of the totalitarian regime and safeguarding society from new attempts to limit rights. Church leaders joined the remembrance, with Archbishop Bernard Bober emphasizing that freedom is not only a political principle but also a deep spiritual value requiring personal responsibility.
He said that internal freedom is tested by social and economic pressures and called for responding to injustice with forgiveness and love. According to Bober, November 17 should renew the nation’s desire for authentic freedom and responsible democracy, strengthened by a return to moral and spiritual foundations.
Source: TASR
