Slovakia's pragmatic nationalists

Peter Schutz says there's no need to exaggerate the dangers of "nationalism, xenophobia and populism" in Slovakia just because Jan Slota's nationalist SNS party is part of the government. "Unlike Roman Giertych and his League of Polish Families, whose values are clearly reflected in Kazynski's government policies, the SNS has not expressed a single view that could interfere with the rights of Hungarians or the Roma. It didn't even protest when Dusan Caplovic [the deputy prime minister responsible for European affairs and minority policies] agreed with his predecessor Pal Czaky on a law for financing minority cultures. The previous governing coalition never managed to push through such a law. By signing the government programme Slota has also agreed to the creation of 'a system for promoting the cultures of national minorities'. SNS voters certainly have good reason to be protesting in front of the city hall in Zilina [where Slota is mayor]."

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