Danko: National Flag Day to Serve as Annual Reminder of Flag's Significance

Bratislava, 2 October (TASR) - National Flag Day should serve as an annual reminder of the significance of the national flag and respect for the Slovak Republic, said Slovak National Party (SNS) leader and House Vice-chair Andrej Danko on Friday. Danko pointed out that the new National Flag Day was established by an amendment drafted by SNS that was approved by Parliament earlier this week. He also stressed that it's a commemorative day, meaning that the number of public holidays and rest days won't change. "The national flag isn't just a formal symbol of the state. It's part of our historical memory and an expression of Slovak statehood. National Flag Day should serve as an annual reminder of its significance and of respect for the Slovak Republic," stated Danko. The new commemorative day falls on 18 September. "The choice of 18 September is based on events during the revolutionary years of 1848 and 1849. On 18 September 1848, the Slovak volunteer corps crossed the Moravian-Slovak border and entered the territory of Slovakia. This period is associated with the national emancipation efforts of Slovaks, the formation of modern Slovak political representation, and the use of the white-blue-red flag symbolism that forms the historical basis of the Slovak flag tradition," explained Danko. The aim of National Flag Day is to commemorate the significance of the national flag each year as one of the fundamental symbols of the Slovak Republic. At the same time, this commemorative day is intended to provide an opportunity to respectfully highlight the importance of Slovakia's national symbols, particularly in educational, cultural and social environments. SNS pointed out that the new commemorative day has a different focus than Slovak Parliament Day, which falls on 19 September. "While 19 September commemorates the establishment of the Slovak Parliament as the historical political representative body of Slovaks, 18 September is intended to be dedicated to the national flag and the historical roots of the Slovak flag tradition," added the party. ko/df