NATIONALIST POPULISM AND POST-COMMUNISM

predisposition for the right of self-determination or an independent statehood in their statements. The most active media discourse participants were either nationalist or conservative parties. Most of them were small parties like the Slovak National Unity, Slovak National Democratic Movement, Slovak National Congress or the Slovak Christian Democratic Movement, which did not manage to pass the threshold and enter the parliament. However, the Slovak National Party, whose leaders pretended to be enthusiastic defenders of the Slovak national interests, belonged to this group as well. In one of his interviews given to the Daily Pravda, SNS leader Jozef Prokeš presented his disagreement with the common state, arguing that “the coexistence of two nations in one state necessarily oppress the identity of one of them” 122 . He also insisted on the subordination of the citizen principle to the national one, which should also be reflected in the preamble of the new Slovak constitution. According to Prokeš, “Slovak Nation” should replace the term “citizens of the Slovak Republic” 123 . Another important politician from the SNS, Ján Slota, stressed the primordial definition of the nation, saying that the Slovaks are “bonded by common Slovak blood” 124 . He also highlighted the need for unification in the name of the nation in order to “do all the best for Slovakia” 125 . The HZDS, whose political position was strengthening during the first half of 1992, played with the national card as well. The HZDS leaders tended to present themselves as defenders of the Slovak national interests 126 . The KDH, whose leaders considered themselves to be supporters of both the conservative ideology and the national idea, used a more moderate, although still nationalist and populist language. Ján Čarnogusrký, for instance, believed that the constitution would be “the first important step to the unification of the whole nation” 127 . On the other hand, Ivan Šimko was convinced that Slovakia was looking for “the fulfillment of her natural emancipatory desires” 128 . It should not be forgotten that the leader of the KDH, Ján Čarnogurský, was Prime Minister 122 Interview with Jozef Prokeš, leader of SNS. Pravda (February 3, 1992), pp. 1, 2, 5. 123 Jozef Prokeš, leader of SNS, SNS press conference. Pravda (August 7, 1992), p. 2. 124 Ján Slota, SNS, Mayor of Žilina, MP, Federal Assembly. Pravda (April 8, 1992), p. 3. 125 Ibid. 126 See, for instance, Vladimír Mečiar, HZDS leader, in a discussion with the former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. Pravda (June 18, 1992), p. 8, Statement of Vladimír Mečiar, Prime Minister, during his meeting with the Czechoslovak president Václav Havel. Pravda (July 1, 1992), p. 2, “We will be the architects and the nation will be the constructor“, interview with Vladimír Mečiar, PM. Pravda (October 2, 1992), pp. 1, 5. 127 Statement of Ján Čarnogurský, Prime Minister, press conference. Pravda (January 3, 1992), p. 2. 128 Ivan Šimko, KDH, Minister of Justice. Discussion on the future shape of the state. Pravda (May 6, 1992), p. 7.

52