Danko Calls Occupation Sad Step, Rejects Foreign Troops in Slovakia Even Today

Bratislava, 21 August (TASR) - Chairman of the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko considers the events of 21 August 1968 to be a sad step of so-called friendly aid and in connection with the occupation of Czechoslovakia, he pointed out that he rejects the presence of foreign troops in Slovakia even today. "It was a sad step of so-called friendly aid when foreign troops came to our territory. I've always said that on the basis of 21 August 1968, we should commemorate all the events and all the victims from that day, but also the following days," said Danko in a video on a social network, stressing that the arrival of foreign troops on Czechoslovak territory was the fundamental problem of this "aid". He paid tribute to those who rejected their presence. Danko thinks that it is important to cooperate with European armies, but he rejects creating enemies. "I don't consider it to be fortunate that even today there is no discussion about why we should have foreign soldiers here," he stated. The SNS head also said that he recently asked Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to reconsider the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Slovakia and the United States of America. "Slovaks have never wanted foreign troops here. Neither during the Second World War, nor in '68, nor today," he added. am/df