Rasi: Legacy of Those Executed in Tokajik Massacre Is Message for Young People

Tokajik, 21 November (TASR) - The legacy of the men who were executed during the Tokajik massacre during WWII is a message of freedom for younger generations, Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated on Friday in connection with the 81st anniversary of the tragedy, TASR was told by the Parliament Office's communications department. The House chief honoured the memory of 32 innocent men who were executed by Nazi commandos in the village of Tokajik in Presov region on 19 and 20 November 1944. At the beginning of his speech, Rasi praised the work of the event organisers and personally thanked the mayor of Tokajik. "On behalf of myself and MPs, I'd like to thank you for organising this commemorative event every year, because it's extremely important," he said. Rasi pointed out that the 32 men murdered by a Nazi commando unit in the village in retaliation for the local population's assistance to partisans would today constitute one-third of the village's population. The main theme of the parliamentary chair's address was the importance of commemorating historical truth in the present day and passing on this legacy. "This moment today is primarily dedicated to those who laid down their lives right here in Tokajik, because they defended their country and rebelled against the fascist invasion," said Rasi. am/df