Slovakia: Bishops urge people to vote in parliamentary election, “vote in the light of the Gospel”

(Bratislava) “We are disgusted by frauds and corruption, both material and moral. But let’s not lose hope”, reads a statement from the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia regarding the forthcoming parliamentary election on 29 February. The prelates invite citizens to thoroughly study the program of political parties and to “test their political goals against the values of the Gospel”. They remind believers to be vigilant and compare voting to a pilgrimage. “If we want a better Slovakia, we need constructive approaches with real perspectives”, reads the document. The bishops mention words like responsibility, peace and perseverance, and invite electors not to give up in the face of deceit and new ideologies: “Our conscience will never be in conflict with a decision made in the light of the Gospel and sanity”. The political situation has been rather tense in Slovakia since the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée two years ago, and the results of Saturday parliamentary election are eagerly expected in this regard.
Gigliola Alfaro