Tasr | 10.12.2006 | rubrika: fpo | strana: 0

Slovakia's foreign policy has been lagging behind of late in its defence of human rights in non-free countries, according to the Pontis Foundation in Bratislava in a statement marking international Human Rights Day on Sunday. "President Ivan Gasparovic is often missing the human rights dimension," reads the Pontis statement. Slovakia's top leaders should publicly lay out the country's stances on global issues, writes Pontis, aka the Foundation for a Civil Society. It further stresses the need for help for civic activists in countries going through difficult periods such as Belarus and Cuba. "We have noticed that Mr. President and Mr. Premier omitted human rights in their recent official meetings with ambassadors from those countries. We have also noticed that the Cabinet's Manifesto lacked emphasis on the promotion of human rights and freedom in the world," said Milan Nic, programme director of Pontis.

Pontis Foundation monitors the Slovak foreign policy with respect to the treatment of human rights on the UN-sanctioned Human Rights Day.