Slovak News Back to the news
Dozens of People Protest Against Smer's Celebration of Women's Day
Monday 08 March 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, March 8 (TASR) - Several dozen people gathered outside the Government Office on Monday to protest against the manner in which the leading coalition Smer-SD party headed by Prime Minister Robert Fico celebrated International Women's Day (IWD - March 8), TASR learnt later in the day.
The demonstrators dislike the fact that Smer organised a series of meetings across Slovakia at which a number of sexist jokes were told instead of discussions on women's rights.
"It's turned into an undignified farce," said Adriana Mesochoritisova from a civil association called 'Option of Choice'. She added that IWD is a day on which women's rights should be fought for. "We don't believe that this can be celebrated with sexist jokes that disparage women. This is no IWD celebration," she added.
The protest is also aimed at pointing out that Slovakia is failing to comply with its commitments in the area of women's rights, said Mesochoritisova. The gatherers laid several red roses outside the main entrance to the Government Office, noting that "the premier won't close their mouths with flowers."
Representatives of 'Option of Choice' and another civil association, 'Queer Leaders Forum', also drew up an open letter to Fico in which they remind him that "discrimination against women is a harsh reality all over the world", including in Slovakia. Giving away roses is no way to tackle it, they added.
The associations also demand that Fico apologise for the jokes made at Smer rallies marking IWD.
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
