Thousands Gather in Kosice to Mark 17 November Freedom Day

Kosice/Bratislava, 17 November (TASR) – The centre of Kosice was filled on Monday evening by thousands of people attending a civic assembly marking the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy [the anniversary of the end of totalitarian rule in erstwhile Czechoslovakia — ed.note], held under the title '17 November – Freedom Is Not a Given'. The event featured speeches by students and public figures associated with November 1989. Among them were Lubica Blaskovicova, one of the faces of the Velvet Revolution in Kosice; Lubomir Badiar, statutory representative and founder of Kosice's Public Against Violence (VPN) movement; and Pavol Cacara from the strike committee of the former Technical University. The crowd also heard speeches from former culture minister in the caretaker government [2023] and cultural manager Silvia Hroncova, the father of murdered journalist Jan Kuciak and the mother of his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, as well as Daniel Pastircak, preacher and former member of the VPN coordination centre. Speakers repeatedly appealed for the protection of democracy and freedom. They warned of a return to authoritarianism, corruption, manipulation, impunity and deepening societal divisions. Criticism of the current government was met with chanting and the jingling of keys. "We receive no answers to our questions. Scientists, artists, environmentalists, doctors, journalists – all of us are mocked, insulted and humiliated in the contemptuous monologues by government representatives and the Prime Minister. It is unbelievable that 36 years after the Velvet Revolution, fear is once again taking hold in this country," Blaskovicova said, adding that platforms of civil society are also being questioned or intimidated. Speakers recalled that students played a key role in past struggles for freedom and democracy, and voiced support for contemporary student activism. The phrase 'chalk revolution' was mentioned several times, referring to chalk messages appearing on pavements after the incident outside the Dominik Tatarka Grammar School in Poprad. "Responsibility has not disappeared. Today, students are once again reminding us of this. I am pleased that young people are the ones taking the initiative. Perhaps it is a sign that the next generations will find a way to repair this system," Cacara said in his speech. The Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy has been celebrated in Slovakia since 2001. It commemorates the Velvet Revolution. It is no longer a public holiday, a change that has sparked widespread criticism. mf