Slovakia PM: “Historical Jewish Sites are an Integral Part of Our Heritage”

Last Wednesday, a delegation of the European Jewish Association and The Rabbinical Centre of Europe, met with President of Slovakia, Ivan Gašparovič and Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The delegation include Rabbi professor Jacob Biderman of Vienna and EJA board member, Rabbi Baruch Oberlander of Budapest and RCE board member, Rabbi Baruch Mayers, Chief Rabbi of Slovakia, Mr. Ronny Bruckner vice president of EJA, Mr. Alexander Levin president of Kien Jewish community and president of the world forum of russian Jewry, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, general Director of the European Jewish Association and RCE and Mr. Rintel, Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Slovakia.

During the meeting, PM Fico, praised the major contribution of Slovakian Jews to the county’s culture and heritage. The PM emphasized the importance of preserving Historical Jewish sites in Slovakia including Synagogues and cemeteries as they are an integral part of the country’s heritage. The delegation thanked PM Fico for his major role in the legislation of the “Slovakian Jewish Holocaust Memorial day” law years ago, that is being marked to this day throughout the country on September 9th.

In a meeting with President Ivan Gašparovič at the presidential palace, the president stressed the importance of uncompromising war against intolerance both in Slovakia itself and throughout the world and noted that this meeting with EJA representatives and RCE Rabbis is “the beginning of a new cooperation between Slovakia and European Jewry”.

President Gašparovič has also expressed his contentment on Slovakia’s great relationship with Israel to the extent that: “Senior Israeli Diplomats are competing intensely on the right to be stationed in Bratislava as Israel’s ambassadors to Slovakia”.

The delegation have thanked President Gašparovič for his commitment to the safety and prosperity of Slovakian Jews and indicated that Anti-Semitism in Slovakia is almost nonexistent as a result of the President’s firm voice against it.