What is actually going to change the constitution (writes Boris Zala)

The author is a philosopher and former Member of the European Parliament

So I listened to what Prime Minister Fico wants to replace the Sunday’s peace disturbing television discussions. I listened to his new Sunday press format. I have nothing against the Sunday political bickeriness; and the chairman’s speeches Direction They will definitely turn Sundays into a political ring.

Only so that many lure many from Mass, worship or morning trips.

What is hidden behind cultural-ethical issues?

But to the point. I was interested in his attitudes to the proposed change of the Constitution. The change that most non -governmental, intellectuals, scholars and journalists, totally unskilled and misleadingly calls the two -gender law. As if they would not have the slightest effort to read the entire government proposal with the explanatory message, which has about five pages. They probably only read the last seven words.

Landdown very concentrated: The proposal introduces the term « national identity », which is immediately reduced to « cultural-ethical issues ». Then he lists in detail what it means. In nicely formulated sentences on the protection of life, family, marriage, there is nothing but a ban on women to decide on their motherhood and body, the ban on any legal form of the same sex life, the inability to change gender identity, the prohibition of a dignified and free form of ending life.

In their consequences, the « family » preference will lead to discrimination against those who do not live in a fictional « traditional family »: after all, almost forty percent of children will be born in Slovakia today and will still be born.

The proposal also declares the protection of « culture and language », and the spirit of this proposal is quite clear that only the constitutionally anchors will be anchored to culture, art and language approaches the Minister Šimkovičová and her companions.

Do not make illusions: This concept of national identity, identified with « cultural-ethical issues », is to be transformed into « areas of health, science, education, education, personal status and inheritance ».

State education to compliance with Catholic conservatism

The shocking thing for me is that those loud protectors of « liberal democracy », the idealized « West », fighters against authoritarianism, eternal and unstoppable ficobians are silent as fish in the water. Literally.

In the « Smipe » I only recorded the analysis of Petr Tkačenka, and quite qualified, and nothing more. The fact that the civil society, which fits as a pillar of democracy, is simply noticed by the pillar of democracy. Not even the fact that the parents’ right to decide whether children will participate in various forms of teaching « beyond the State Educational Program » are introduced into the Constitution.

No one has noticed, why it is introduced into the constitution, because the parents have the right to do so today and do it. Well, because in the following article, the constitutional paragraph that « the State Education Program must be in accordance with this Constitution » is directly and unaccompanied.

This is also in accordance with today’s constitution, but it is clear that it must be harmonized with new paragraphs; Thus, with definitions introduced as « cultural-ethical issues ». And in addition, it is explicitly states that everything must be in line with « public morality ».

Who will determine what public morality is is clear from previous paragraphs. It is simply introduced a conservative-nationalist vision of the world directly into the constitution. The term “cultural-ethical issues” is clearly hidden by a conservative-Catholic understanding of values ​​and public morality.

O The meaning of Cyril-Methodian heritage

This is exactly what the chairman of the Direction Fico and Sunday’s sermon also understands it clearly: it is the development of the Cyrillo-Methodian tradition, which is listed in the preamble of the Constitution of the Slovak Republic.

Here you can see exactly how the chairman of the Direction interpreted the preamble in a conservative-Catholic concept. And the preamble does not say that, nor was it such a intention of legislators.

By chance, I am one of the initiators to get a sentence about the « Cyrillo-Methodian spiritual heritage » into the preamble of the Constitution. When the new Constitution was still preparing in 1992, I went – even after agreement with Šaň Dubček – to the President of the Parliament’s Economic Committee to Obszdoň Kočtúch. With a proposal to introduce a characteristic to the Constitution that we are a social-trh economy. As a Social Democrat, I considered it my priority.

The cabs tells me, Borisko, that’s not a problem; This will also find support in HZDS and also in the Weiss SDL. But I have a different problem: how to formulate our most basic historical heritage, but so as not to collapse society. The Czechs have a Holy Wenceslas and Hussite tradition; Hungarians of St. Stephen. And we are what we lean, you know Pribina and Svätopluk are controversial; This is a nut.

At that time I was working on the philosophy of Slovak history, so I immediately emerged Cyril and Method. Star, put Cyril-Methodian heritage there. They were foreigners, but they brought education, scripture and connection to Roman civilization. You see, it could be, it will be both ecumenical and civilian, he was pleased with cabs.

Finally, he pushed for it in a non -religious sense. For religious interpretation would be in contrast to the first article of the Constitution? That Slovakia does not bind to any ideology or religion. This was the case in the Constitution in clear civil formulation: « in the sense of Cyril-Methodian spiritual heritage ».

Nothing in this inheritance is that it would entitle to put « cultural-ethical issues » in our constitution in a conservative-Catholic sense. Nothing. And a few humanistic-minded Catholics and theologians, as well as humanistic Christians in a wide sense, have already expressed their view that they do not identify with the concept of « cultural-ethical wars ».

The wars, not resulting from our historical-spiritual heritage, but taken from the most related, faded and fanatical American evangelical churches.

Every Slovak and Slovakia should reject this import. Our Slovakity is based on humanism, democracy and Europe. Yes, Europeanism, just as it is anchored in the contracts we have received – even the only successful referendum. This requires the government proposal to change the constitution.

It is no coincidence that there is a special paragraph in the proposal, which follows that in « cultural-ethical issues », neither international nor EU law is superior to us: simply and simply after the adoption of this law we are for the next step, not small, outside the EU.

And apparently the « two -gender » law! Let’s remember.