Upon the initiative of President Andrej Kiska, the Day of Victory over Fascism was celebrated in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic in the village of Kalinov at the Liberation Memorial on Monday, on 8 May.

On the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the end of World War II, President Andrej Kiska awarded two Russian and two Ukrainian war veterans who were involved in the fight to liberate Slovakia; Vitali Viktorovich Rybalkov, Nikolai Alexandrovich Melnikov, Ivan Ivanovith Selifon and Bronislav Sergeyevich Adamovich were awarded the state decoration of the Second Class Order of the White Double Cross.

In his address, the President paid tribute to heroes, to people who did not succumb to evil and who gave us an opportunity to develop a society founded on humanistic values. At the same time, he warned against the ever-stronger current support to fascism and invited to act against it by any and all legal means available.

“We have gathered in a place symbolising the beginning of the fall of the rule of fascism and Nazism in the then Czechoslovak state. Here in Kalinov, being the first municipality on our territory, the Red Army soldiers broke the resistance of the Nazi army in the autumn of 1944 and forced them to retreat. Those who had survived the horrors of war were the first to take a free breath in this part of our homeland. They started to heal deep wounds caused to all of Europe by fascism and Nazism. These hate ideologies had crippled nations, countries and left behind dozens of millions of fallen, killed and slaughtered victims. They showed us without any mercy what evil may come out of societies boasting the attributes of being modern and progressive.

The truth is that even though fascism and Nazism were defeated by military means in Europe, our way to a free and democratic society remained full of twists and turns. It took another four decades to go. We had to deal another ideology of evil. Anyway, had it not been the victory 72 years ago, we might not have had such an opportunity any more: The 8 May 1945 was the day when we were given another chance after an atrocious war.

Today we celebrate and commemorate the day on which, at a price of tremendous suffering, the people of Europe fought for their right to future.

The heroes of World War II – those who had survived its hardships and those who have paid the price with their own lives – offered an opportunity to their children and to their children´s children to make a new start. We have been given an opportunity for survival as a civilisation based on humanistic values. An opportunity to develop a society respecting human life and an opportunity to build communities capable of respecting the dignity of every single man. Regardless of his origin, colour of skin and religion.

That is why we are here today. To thank the women and the men who had not given up and had not surrendered to evil. We are here to commemorate the victims of fascist aggression. We have gathered here to pay tribute to the soldiers who fought in many places of Europe, lost their lives far away from their homes and never returned to their loved ones. To appreciate the veterans of the war who fought when our country´s territory was liberated and to thank them once again on behalf of all citizens of the Slovak Republic. May I once again sincerely thank Mr. Melnikov, one of the immediate liberators of my country, to have him here on this significant day with us. We are grateful to the soldiers of the Red Army – Russians, Ukrainians, Belarussians and other nationals of the then Soviet Union. Our thank you also goes to the soldiers of the Romanian army who fought on the Slovak territory and to the Allies in the western front.

Yet we also are standing here today to avow that we stand to the obligation passed on by post-war generations for 72 years now. To the joint duty to protect the peace and freedom on this continent. So that no later European generation would have to wage a brutal war for their survival. Our duty is to prevent the evil of fascism and Nazism from becoming strong enough again to hurt the innocent.

On 8 May 1945, the hate ideology was defeated by the military. We have ousted it to the margin, we have made it creep into dark recesses of our societies. However, we have not succeeded in destroying it completely. Unfortunately, this evil has survived in the minds of those who look down on people of a different complexion or religion and who made this their political agenda once again. The arrogance and self-assurance of that evil is snowballing and it is not hidden.

Just like before, the fascists of today – even though they themselves disagree with this – style themselves into the only genuine defenders of our culture, of our nation and of our faith. Just like before, they employ fear and prejudice once again as a path to power, seeking to make use of the democratic society to destroy it by doing so. Just like before, they hide their malevolence behind the plurality of opinion: they despise the values of freedom, tolerance and respect to others.

My country is facing numerous challenges and many difficulties. The people in Slovakia rightfully demand a better life and insist on answers to open questions. Yet to support the fascist movement is not an answer to any of them. No one´s life is going to improve if extremists are allowed to define the topics for us to deal with. To dictate us the tone to be used when speaking about current challenges. The vocabulary of hate must not be allowed to become a standard which no longer disturbs us. Let us not lose sensitivity to the demonstrations of aggression toward individuals or groups of people, nations or religions. We must not get used to extremist language by public actors and to their becoming a demonstration of anger and resentment in social media.

This evil must not be overlooked, we must not be indifferent to it. We must counteract it. By all legal means available. A free democratic society has the right of defence to remain free and democratic. Even against fascists marching down the streets in green T-shirts, even against MPs in their well creased suits spreading hate and intolerance.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We all know what an end this is going to take if an insane ideology seizes power. There is no need to learn the same lesson again. Every year on 8 May we remind ourselves before the memorials of the fallen, in military cemeteries throughout Europe what a high price individuals, communities, villages, cities and nations have paid in the blood bath of war. We commemorate the heroism and horrors of war which left ravaged territories behind, marked with the graves of millions of fallen. We know what the evil of fascism can do if we let it grow stronger.

And we remember as well what efforts, determination and commitment to the values of democracy, solidarity and cooperation in the post-war Europe was needed to prevent this continent from another tragic blood-stained conflict again. This year we commemorated 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome due to which the enemies of yesterday are not fighting one another at the front lines. We are seated at negotiation desks and jointly decide about the future of the European Union. In a few months´ time we will celebrate 25 years of the democratic Slovak Republic. We will also commemorate the hundred years from the foundation of the common state of Czechs and Slovaks.

These are and will be opportunities to draw balance of what we have achieved, whatever we may be proud of. These are opportunities to remind ourselves that our generation is obliged to address major challenges at home in Slovakia and in wider Europe. In order to keep our country free, safe for all, in good shape and good health. To contribute to the development of the European Union, the vital project of peaceful cooperation on our continent. To protect the values of solidarity, tolerance and humanity from any and all evil. So let us not waste the opportunity which we were given on 8 May 1945.”