Opposition party Smer-SD expressed its complete discontent on Wednesday to the removal of the inscription stating “King of Ancient Slovaks” from the pedestal of the statue of King Svatopluk at Bratislava Castle.
The inscription was removed as experts from a special committee that was set up because of the statue, declared it historically incorrect. The committee evaluated the appropriateness of the statue at the entrance to Bratislava Castle, and eventually decided it could stay subject to the removal of two elements, the pedestal inscription and the shield bearing a controversial cross.
The statue caused a series of disputes and demonstration especially because of the two-barred cross that was not the Slovak one, but the one that was used by the paramilitary Hlinka Guard, which helped the Nazis during wartime.
The Smer-SD party was particularly upset by the fact that it was removed just one day before the Open Door day in parliament, because this meant that the thousands of visitors did not get the chance to see the disputed inscription.
For more background information: https://www.thedaily.sk/?s=Svatopluk&x=0&y=0