Simecka: Hooligans Attacking Slovaks in Serbia, Premier Fico Should Act

Belgrade, August 13 (TASR) - The Slovak minority in the Serbian Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is afraid of further violence and Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should immediately address the situation via diplomatic channels, said chairman of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka following the meeting with compatriots in the town of Backi Petrovac on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from a statement released by the PS media department. "Slovak men and women here are facing attacks by hooligans close to the [Serbian] government, they're fearing for the safety of their families. No one who cares about the safety of our compatriots can stand by and watch," said the PS leader, criticising Fico and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), who, according to him, haven't taken the necessary steps. At the same time, he stressed that the involvement of Slovak diplomacy is necessary. "Compatriots confirm fears that the police and local authorities are quietly tolerating these attacks on them. This is not a dispute between ordinary Serbs and Slovaks, relations between people are good, the problem is the systematic oppression of free-thinking people by the government authorities. There is a dangerous ethnic dimension added since they are ethnic Slovaks, and they lack any support and protection. In this situation, Foreign Minister Blanar must immediately summon the Serbian ambassador," stressed Simecka. An attack on an exhibition of photographs documenting student protests in Serbia took place at the Slovak National Festivities in Backi Petrovac - a town in which ethnic Slovaks make up the majority of the population - on Saturday (9 August). The exhibition was organised by the Slovak minority. The conflict, including skirmishes, took place between members of President Aleksandar Vucic's governing Serbian Progressive Party and the people who had prepared the exhibition of photographs of anti-government protests. During the clash, the photographs on display were damaged, and several people sustained minor injuries. am/mcs