Slovak President Andrej Kiska received representatives of Slovak Churches and religious communities in Bratislava's Presidential Palace on Thursday. Their meeting delved into the current situation in Europe and in the world, the migration crisis as well as the spread of fear based on prejudices and stereotypes.
"Today we add to our domestic political dictionary the word Muslim as a synonym for fear and danger", said Kiska in his speech. He said that such generalisations based on the faults, failures and crimes of individuals don't belong in a modern society. "They can't be justified and they awaken the demons of our past", emphasised Kiska. He added that by spreading love and understanding among people Churches may significantly contribute to addressing this misconception.
Kiska also warned that peace and the peaceful cohabitation of people are not to be taken for granted. We're living in a complicated period, he said. "If everyone is at peace with himself, only then he can spread peace to our families and communities", added Kiska.
Slovak Bishops Conference (KBS) chairman and Bratislava archbishop Stanislav Zvolenský said that the Church would like to help in creating structures to resolve the migration crisis. "Better understanding of refugees' needs and meeting with them contributed to respecting their human dignity and leads to a change of negative stances", said Zvolenský.
Slovakia's Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities (UZZNO) chairman Igor Rintel warned that terror leads us towards thinking of migrants as threats, sources of terror and the beginning of the end of western civilisation. Rintel condemned the persecution of any group of people, murders in European streets, the persecution of Christians as well as the most current terror in the streets of Israel. "We call for respect to all people and religions. Only respect and tolerance might lead to a better situation", emphasised Rintel.
