KDH Concerned about Incident in Serbia, Calls for Investigation

Bratislava, 14 August (TASR) - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) expressed concerns over information about the incident involving an alleged attack on ethnic Slovaks in Serbia, demanding that the whole case be investigated, KDH's communications department informed TASR on Thursday. According to KDH, it is appropriate to be worried about the safety of compatriots. “We call on [Slovak Premier] Robert Fico to ask the Serbian prime minister to ensure proper protection not only for our compatriots in Backi Petrovac and villages in its vicinity, but also for all residents being attacked by the aggressive group, and to put an end to the violence or threats, as well as to investigate them," KDH stated. The response from Fico and Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanár (both Smer-SD) was described by KDH as lukewarm. "Differing views, including political ones, must not result in violence," KDH added and warned against inflaming the ethnic tensions. 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. Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) responded to this information by saying that the incident from the town of Backi Petrovac is a purely domestic political matter of sovereign Serbia and has nothing to do with the status of the Slovak national minority, to which the Slovak government, in cooperation with the Serbian one, is paying special attention. Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar said Monday that Slovak diplomacy and the Slovak Embassy in Belgrade won't comment on the incidents at the Slovak National Festivities in Serbia at the weekend. The incident and the response from coalition politicians was also criticised by other opposition parties. jrg/mcs/ko