If some people are convinced that they would be better off without a regime change, let’s not find fault with them, nor in November 1989, nor in the values of freedom and democracy. It is the business card of specific post-November political outfits that failed to translate the hope of 1989 into people’s everyday lives. This was announced on Monday by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini in a speech at the Gate of Freedom monument in Bratislava’s Devín.
Speaker of the Parliament Richard Raši (Voice-SD), several members of the government, representatives of municipalities, churches, embassies, as well as former political prisoners took part in the commemoration of the victims of the communist regime. The event was organized by the Confederation of Political Prisoners of Slovakia (KPVS).
The President emphasized that our country has made a great civilizational leap since November 1989. Hope for a better life was also an important motive for people. “Let’s not close our eyes to the fact that, unfortunately, this dream did not come true for many of them. On the contrary, entire generations had to pay a huge price for the economic changes that came after the Gentle Revolution. Their savings were devalued, many lost their jobs, they didn’t have enough ‘sharp elbows’ to assert themselves in a world where the stronger won. If these people are convinced that without a change in the regime they would be better off today, as shown by a recent survey, then let’s not find fault with them,” declared Pellegrini.
According to him, it is the calling card of the post-November political outfits, which failed to translate the hope of 1989 into people’s everyday lives. “Sets that solved their own problems more than people’s problems. Sets that could not move long-term problems and challenges because they could not see beyond the boundaries of their term“, he emphasized.
In November 1989, society was mobilized by the courage of people who clearly, but without anger and without desire for retribution, expressed their disapproval of the regime. “The protagonists and participants of the Gentle Revolution consistently rejected violence, profanity and any kind of coercion. The decisive force that guided them was the ability to unite. And it was also polite. Let’s try to return these values to the public space and to our interpersonal relationships,” the head of state called on the people. The President believes that we will gradually see the reconciliation of the nation if we respect the freedom to express our opinions while respecting the opinion of others.
Rashi also emphasized the need for discussion and respect. “We seem to be looking for social harmony and unification in vain. Perhaps we have already forgotten that in the autumn of 1989 we asked for dialogue, discussion and respect in the squares, but today monologues prevail. Discussions turned into arguments and respect, especially respect for a different opinion or political opponent, was simply lost.” he stated in his speech. The head of the parliament called on society not to support aggressive political struggles and to stop hatred and anger.
Head of Slovak diplomacy Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) emphasized the need to remember those who paid for freedom with their lives, as well as those who suffered in prisons. “All this is a commitment for us today, so that we can transform the values they left us, for which they fought, even if it is not easy, because it is much more difficult to listen to other people’s opinion and respect it, than to respect only the one who is the right one, and we have had that here many times,” declared Blanár.
