"Slovak Parliamentary Group For Tibet" Established 

Monday, March 15, 2010

Tibet.net
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Vice-Chairman of the Slovakian Parliament and leaders of the four Opposition Parties, in Bratislava, Slovakia, on 9 September 2009/ Photo: Tibet Bureau, Geneva

Dharamshala: The members of Slovak Parliament declared the formation of "Friends of Tibet" - a Parliamentary group in the National Council - in accordance with the wishes expressed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his visit to the country in September 2009. 
 
The idea for a Slovak parliamentary group for Tibet was conceived during His Holiness the Dalai Lama's meeting with administration board of Jan Langos Foundation in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. His Holiness was honoured with an award of Jan Langos Foundation for his tireless mission for freedom of Tibet and initiatives improving the world. 
 
The Slovak Parliamentary group for Tibet was established on 9 March 2010, the eve of the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day against the repression and occupation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China.

The members of the parliamentary group are: Andruskó Imre, SMK; Berényi József, SMK; Cibulková Katarína, SDKU-DS, Damborská Marta, SNS; Farkas Iván, SMK; Fronc Martin, KDH; Ivančo Jaroslav, SDKU-DS; Kuruc Martin, Nezaradený Mikloš Ivan, SDKU-DS; Nagy László, Nezaradený, Rosová Tatiana, SDKU-DS and Rusnák Ján, SDKU-DS.
 
The group aims to create a platform for informal discussions of the parliamentary members and public and for spreading awareness about what's happening in Tibet.
 
"The Slovak parliamentary group “Friends of Tibet” was established with the goal to support the rightful interests of the Tibetan nation. We understand the importance of the  cooperation between Slovak Republic and the Peoples Republic of China and we are not questioning the territorial integrity of China together with Tibet," read a declaration of the group.
  
"On the other hand we are fully aware of our commitment to values, which is overlapping the bilateral partnership and has a universal character. This commitment to respecting and observance of human rights, legal state and the freedom of conscience cannot be detached from the partnership with China." 
 
"The Slovak parliamentary group “Friends of Tibet” is appealing to the government of the People's Republic of China to start a real dialogue with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama about the peaceful solving of the situation in Tibet and suspension of further assimilation of the authentic population of Tibet,"  the declaration noted.
 
The group raised the Tibetan flag in the window of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, to mark the 51st Tibetan National Uprising Day.