Liberation80: President: Legacy of Fascism Victims Still Relevant

Bratislava, April 3 (TASR) - The legacy of the victims of fascist horrors is still relevant today, and no one can be allowed to question the suffering that WWII brought to millions of people around the world, said President Peter Pellegrini on Thursday after laying a wreath at the Slavin Memorial in Bratislava to honour the 80th anniversary of Bratislava's liberation. The president visited the monument a day before the anniversary due to the fact that he's scheduled to leave for the Vatican on Thursday afternoon. The head of state called on people to show respect and gratitude to all those who contributed towards returning freedom to Slovakia, namely Soviet, Romanian and Slovak soldiers, insurgents, resistance fighters and citizens of other nations, as many of them paid the highest price for it. Pellegrini thinks that the scars of war still linger here due to tragedies such as the Holocaust and the massacres that took place in the villages of Nemecka, Ostry Grun, Klak and Tokajik. "These events remain a deep wound in our history. So, let's not allow the reawakening of ideologies that grow from the roots of evil and flood society with the bitter fruits of hatred," he said. The president also pointed to the importance of liberation for Slovakia and the need to commemorate such historical events with dignity and respect. "Gratitude to the liberators hasn't diminished in any way with the time that has passed since then. It shouldn't be overshadowed by current conflicts that have brought senseless killing and the death of innocent people back to our continent. The memory of liberation, therefore, obliges us to strive to restore peace to war-torn areas," said Pellegrini, adding that the people in these countries deserve the sense of joy and relief that people experienced 80 years ago. The president pointed out that this year not only involves commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, but also the liberation of Bratislava and other towns and villages throughout Slovakia. Bratislava was liberated as part of the Bratislava-Brno Operation by Soviet and Romanian units. Twenty-eight Soviet and 14 Romanian divisions participated in fighting that lasted for two days. ko/df