Rasi: Holocaust Shows How Society Must Never Function

Bratislava, 9 September (TASR) – The Holocaust and other forms of racial violence and intolerance serve as a stark warning of how society must never be run, stated House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice–SD) during a commemorative event marking Holocaust Memorial Day on Tuesday. The event was held at the Holocaust Memorial on Rybne Square in Bratislava. "Society as a whole, and first and foremost its political representatives, has a duty to ensure that we never forget and never again allow such a state of mental derangement to occur," stated Rasi, who described the Holocaust as one of the darkest periods in history. According to the head of Parliament, the Day of the Victims of the Holocaust and Racial Violence are a lasting reminder of the wounds that remain deeply embedded in individuals and society. He emphasised that these wounds also serve as a warning of the depths to which human hatred and ideological blindness can descend. "If we want to prevent such events from ever happening again, we must deeply understand our past and recognise the causes of inhumane treatment. We must say a firm no to them," stressed Rasi. He believes that it's essential to identify the fine line between freedom and the lack thereof, as all forms of discrimination, racism and intolerance serve as harbingers of oppression. Rasi expressed his hope that people today will not only remember the victims of the Holocaust but also take away a strong determination to take responsibility for the kind of world in which they want to live. Slovakia commemorates 9 September as a national memorial day – the Day of the Victims of the Holocaust and Racial Violence. On this day in 1941, the wartime Slovak government adopted a Jewish Code that introduced a separate legal regime for citizens of Jewish origin and faith, significantly restricting their civil, religious, social and basic human rights on the territory of the then Slovakia. The decree consolidated legal regulations enforcing the social, economic, and civil degradation of Jews, which ultimately led to their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. mf/df