Hungarian party will not vote on State Symbols Act

At its session in May, the Slovak parliament will once again discuss the State Symbols Act, which was vetoed by President Andrej Kiska last Friday. According to its critics, the new legislation bans the singing or playing of anthems of foreign states at public events, if an official delegation of that state is not present. Environment Minister Laszlo Solymos, who is also the vice-chair of the Slovak-Hungarian party Most-Hid, announced on Wednesday that Most-Hid lawmakers would not lend their support to the State Symbols Act in a vote that would override the veto of the President. Parliamentary chair and Slovak national party leader Andrej Danko stated that he accepts the steps made by the junior coalition member. Danko also reiterated that the Slovak national party which proposed the State Symbols Act was not trying to restrict or prohibit the anthems of other states on Slovakia's territory. According to Danko, its goal was to preserve the state coat-of-arms on ice hockey national jerseys.