national populism and slovak – hungarian relations in - MEK

Grigorij MesežnikovNational Populism and Slovak – Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006 – 2009. Forum Minority Research Institute Šamorín – Somorja, 2009have but [two options]: either respect the Jánošík tradition or replace thenation … Anti-Slovakism still dwells as a hidden bacillus in some Slovakhistorians. That is why these spiritually homeless people object to a freediscussion over new terminology that speaks of ancient Slovaks or KingSvätopluk.” 36 According to Fico, “the media launched an inquisitorial witchhuntagainst everything that is Slovak […]. Only spiritually homeless ornationally ignorant may [strive to] deprive the nation of the legend aboutJánošík who struggled against social oppression.” 37National populists’ inclination to positive perception of “nationally-oriented”historical figures with an authoritarian profile may be illustrated byefforts to pass a special law on the merits of Andrej Hlinka, a Catholicpriest and one of the Slovak nation’s principal political leaders in the firsthalf of the 20 th century. The SNS proposed that Hlinka be officially referredto as “the father of the nation”. One of the most active protagonists of theidea to pass the special law on Hlinka was SMER-SD Vice-Chairman andMinister of Culture Marek Maïariè who declared that Hlinka’s “personalityis unambiguous” and “his merits are extraordinary”. The positive evaluationof Hlinka would be imposed in an authoritative fashion that, ifenforced in practice, could even restrict freedom of scientific research andpublic discussion. Maïariè called voices arguing that Hlinka’s historicalprofile deserves detailed discussion “perfidious”, arguing that “Hlinka’s personalitydeserves mostly respect”. 38 In line with this attitude, the SNS directlyproposed to punish critical evaluation of Hlinka as “defamation ofHlinka’s name”. The HZDS also supported ‘enacting’ Hlinka’s merits;according to Chairman Meèiar, his party endorsed the SNS position morethan that of the opposition KDH that submitted a more moderate bill onHlinka.A special place among historic events whose interpretation is particularlyimportant in terms of impact on Slovakia’s socio-political developmentis emergence and existence of the wartime Slovak State. The official statedoctrine of the Slovak Republic is based on the anti-fascist tradition embodiedin the Slovak National Uprising of 1944. The modern Slovak Republicis considered a successor to the Czechoslovak Federation but neither legalnor political successor to the wartime Slovak State proclaimed in March1939; however, a revisionist perception of the period of 1939–1945 hasbecome part of the country’s public and political discourse regarding theissue of national history after 1989. An integral part of this perception isthe thesis that the wartime state (also called “the first Slovak Republic”)was de facto a predecessor of the modern Slovak Republic, efforts to separatethe totalitarian regime established by the fascist Hlinka’s Slovak54