Rasi: I Consider Reopening Benes Decrees a Major Regional Risk

Bratislava, 26 November (TASR) – House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) considers the reopening of the issue of the Benes decrees a serious risk, underlining that it's not only a political mistake but also a dangerous precedent for Slovakia and the entire region. Rasi made the statement in response to comments by the opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) party on the Benes decrees. "Such reckless steps, as we see from Progressive Slovakia, can trigger a chain reaction and destabilise legal certainty even in the Czech Republic," Rasi warned. He explained that he will discuss the matter next week with the head of the Czech Parliament, Tomio Okamura, during his official visit to Slovakia. "Steps that ignore historical facts and the sensitivity of the issue are ill-considered and pose a threat to harmonious coexistence in the region. We must send a clear signal that opening this Pandora's box in Slovakia would directly endanger the fundamental principles and stability of the Czech Republic," Rasi added. At its away-from-home session on Wednesday, the government approved a declaration affirming the untouchability of post-war documents governing the state of affairs in Slovakia after the Second World War. The government considers the issue of these post-war documents to be closed. It expressed concern over "calls encouraging the reopening of the so-called Benes decrees, which create unnecessary tension, misunderstanding and polarisation in society". PS leader Michal Simecka stated on Wednesday that Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is knowingly lying when he claims that PS wants to abolish the Benes decrees. He stressed that PS has never proposed and will never propose to abolish the decrees or to question Slovak history. Simecka pointed out that PS, during its visit of Komarno, adopted a resolution on coexistence and development in southern Slovakia. Among other points, it calls on the Slovak government to make gestures of goodwill towards ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia. One such gesture may be to clarify, in relation to the decrees, that they remain part of Slovak law. However, PS considers it important to uphold the principle that no new legal realities can be created on the basis of the Benes decrees. Simecka explained that the text refers to Parliament's resolution from several years ago, which contains not a single word about questioning or abolishing the decrees. mf