Controversial black flags hanging in Banská Bystrica during SNP celebrations

On Saturday, 29^th of August, national holiday marking the commemoration of Slovak National Uprising (SNP) from 1944, black flags were hanged on the façade of the Banská Bystrica regional authority building. As Banská Bystrica's region governor Marián Kotleba (People's Party-Our Slovakia) in the past described SNP as a "black day" in Slovakia's history and a rebellion against one's own state, the black flags were observed by many as a gesture of provocation and disrespect. While the regional authority's office director Milan Uhrík stated that the flags were meant to commemorate those who lost their lives in the 1944 uprising, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said such an action was abnormal, humiliating and shameful. Parliamentary Chairman Peter Pellegrini, who is a native of Banská Bystrica, said that he's ashamed that such a person as Kotleba is at the helm of the regional authority. "He certainly wasn't paying tribute to the fallen, but wanted to express his disapproval of our history", said Pellegrini. In the meantime, the flags were removed from the building by activist and SEN (Solidarity, Ecology, Non-violence) party founder Eduard Chmelár. SDKU-DS MP Ľudovít Kaník, for his part, announced that he'd file a criminal complaint against Kotleba for what he believes was a display of promotion of fascism.