New Statue Unveiled in Bratislava

Marking the 92nd anniversary of the establishment of the first Czechoslovak Republic, a new statue was unveiled in central Bratislava on 28 October. The newly erected bronze statue depicts the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, a half-Slovak advocate of joint Czechoslovak identity.

Located on a pedestal in front of the National Museum, the statue of Masaryk replaces a bronze lion which has been moved to its new home at the riverside square Eurovea shopping complex.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by the mayor of the Stare Mesto district, several MPs and diplomats, and many locals. A handful of extremist demonstrators, members of the nationalist Our Slovakia party, attended as well, though their protest was broken up by Police quickly.