Slovak Catholic meeting rejects Istanbul Conve, Andrej Danko

Slovak Catholic meeting rejects Istanbul Conve, Andrej Danko

Hundreds of Slovaks came to the centre of the capital city to join a prayer meeting that Christian activists organised against the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women on February 11, 2020, in Bratislava, Slovakia. Slovakia has not ratified the convention, but it has become a hot issue ahead of the general election in the Roman Catholic country. Slovak parliament chairman Andrej Danko, left, (junior government Slovak National Party, SNS) and People's Party Our Slovakia (far-right opposition LSNS) leader Marian Kotleba, both of whom have been criticising the convention for a long time, were among those who took part in the meeting. (CTK Photo/Martin Mikula)

Slovak Catholic meeting rejects Istanbul Conve, Andrej Danko

Slovak Catholic meeting rejects Istanbul Conve, Andrej Danko

Hundreds of Slovaks came to the centre of the capital city to join a prayer meeting that Christian activists organised against the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women on February 11, 2020, in Bratislava, Slovakia. Slovakia has not ratified the convention, but it has become a hot issue ahead of the general election in the Roman Catholic country. Slovak parliament chairman Andrej Danko, center, (junior government Slovak National Party, SNS) and People's Party Our Slovakia (far-right opposition LSNS) leader Marian Kotleba, both of whom have been criticising the convention for a long time, were among those who took part in the meeting. (CTK Photo/Martin Mikula)

Robert Fico

Robert Fico

***FEBRUARY 18, 2018, FILE PHOTO*** Slovak police accused former PM Robert Fico (Smer-Social Democracy) of having stood up for Milan Mazurek, a former lawmaker for the extreme right Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), who was convicted of racism over his anti-Roma rhetoric, the police said today, on Thursday, December 5, 2019. If convicted, Fico, a member of the Slovak parliament, can be sentenced up to five years in prison. Slovak lawmakers do not have parliamentary immunity protecting them against criminal prosecution. (CTK Photo/David Tanecek)

Robert Fico

Robert Fico

***JANUARY 5, 2018, FILE PHOTO*** Slovak police accused former PM Robert Fico (Smer-Social Democracy) of having stood up for Milan Mazurek, a former lawmaker for the extreme right Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), who was convicted of racism over his anti-Roma rhetoric, the police said today, on Thursday, December 5, 2019. If convicted, Fico, a member of the Slovak parliament, can be sentenced up to five years in prison. Slovak lawmakers do not have parliamentary immunity protecting them against criminal prosecution. (CTK Photo/Vaclav Salek)

Zuzana Caputova

Zuzana Caputova

Slovaks are choosing their 14 MEPs in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) from 7:00 to 22:00 today, on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Turnout is expected to be higher that in the previous EP elections five years ago when it was the lowest out of the EU member states. The anti-EU far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba is expected to score a success in the elections. Some 4.5 million voters in the five-million Slovakia can choose from candidates of 31 political parties, movements and their election coalitions.Unlike the neighbouring Czech Republic where the elections started on Friday and ended at 14:00 today, the EP elections are held only one day in Slovakia and other EU member states. The (European) elections are important since we are standing at the crossroads as far as the future shape of the European Union is concerned - whether Europe will be stronger and more integrated or whether the process of its weakening will start, President-elect Zuzana Caputova (photo), who will assume office in three weeks, told reporters. Caputova is of the view that anti-European forces became a strong element in these European elections. It is important to take part in them, she added. She expressed her conviction that this time, Slovakia will not have the lowest turnout of the EU countries. (CTK Photo/Vit Simanek)

Zuzana Caputova

Zuzana Caputova

Slovaks are choosing their 14 MEPs in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) from 7:00 to 22:00 today, on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Turnout is expected to be higher that in the previous EP elections five years ago when it was the lowest out of the EU member states. The anti-EU far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba is expected to score a success in the elections. Some 4.5 million voters in the five-million Slovakia can choose from candidates of 31 political parties, movements and their election coalitions.Unlike the neighbouring Czech Republic where the elections started on Friday and ended at 14:00 today, the EP elections are held only one day in Slovakia and other EU member states. The (European) elections are important since we are standing at the crossroads as far as the future shape of the European Union is concerned - whether Europe will be stronger and more integrated or whether the process of its weakening will start, President-elect Zuzana Caputova (photo), who will assume office in three weeks, told reporters. Caputova is of the view that anti-European forces became a strong element in these European elections. It is important to take part in them, she added. She expressed her conviction that this time, Slovakia will not have the lowest turnout of the EU countries. (CTK Photo/Vit Simanek)

Zuzana Caputova

Zuzana Caputova

Slovaks are choosing their 14 MEPs in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) from 7:00 to 22:00 today, on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Turnout is expected to be higher that in the previous EP elections five years ago when it was the lowest out of the EU member states. The anti-EU far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba is expected to score a success in the elections. Some 4.5 million voters in the five-million Slovakia can choose from candidates of 31 political parties, movements and their election coalitions.Unlike the neighbouring Czech Republic where the elections started on Friday and ended at 14:00 today, the EP elections are held only one day in Slovakia and other EU member states. The (European) elections are important since we are standing at the crossroads as far as the future shape of the European Union is concerned - whether Europe will be stronger and more integrated or whether the process of its weakening will start, President-elect Zuzana Caputova (photo), who will assume office in three weeks, told reporters. Caputova is of the view that anti-European forces became a strong element in these European elections. It is important to take part in them, she added. She expressed her conviction that this time, Slovakia will not have the lowest turnout of the EU countries. (CTK Photo/Vit Simanek)

Zuzana Caputova

Zuzana Caputova

Slovaks are choosing their 14 MEPs in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) from 7:00 to 22:00 today, on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Turnout is expected to be higher that in the previous EP elections five years ago when it was the lowest out of the EU member states. The anti-EU far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba is expected to score a success in the elections. Some 4.5 million voters in the five-million Slovakia can choose from candidates of 31 political parties, movements and their election coalitions.Unlike the neighbouring Czech Republic where the elections started on Friday and ended at 14:00 today, the EP elections are held only one day in Slovakia and other EU member states. The (European) elections are important since we are standing at the crossroads as far as the future shape of the European Union is concerned - whether Europe will be stronger and more integrated or whether the process of its weakening will start, President-elect Zuzana Caputova (photo), who will assume office in three weeks, told reporters. Caputova is of the view that anti-European forces became a strong element in these European elections. It is important to take part in them, she added. She expressed her conviction that this time, Slovakia will not have the lowest turnout of the EU countries. (CTK Photo/Vit Simanek)

Zuzana Caputova

Zuzana Caputova

Slovaks are choosing their 14 MEPs in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) from 7:00 to 22:00 today, on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Turnout is expected to be higher that in the previous EP elections five years ago when it was the lowest out of the EU member states. The anti-EU far-right People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba is expected to score a success in the elections. Some 4.5 million voters in the five-million Slovakia can choose from candidates of 31 political parties, movements and their election coalitions.Unlike the neighbouring Czech Republic where the elections started on Friday and ended at 14:00 today, the EP elections are held only one day in Slovakia and other EU member states. The (European) elections are important since we are standing at the crossroads as far as the future shape of the European Union is concerned - whether Europe will be stronger and more integrated or whether the process of its weakening will start, President-elect Zuzana Caputova (photo), who will assume office in three weeks, told reporters. Caputova is of the view that anti-European forces became a strong element in these European elections. It is important to take part in them, she added. She expressed her conviction that this time, Slovakia will not have the lowest turnout of the EU countries. (CTK Photo/Vit Simanek)