I have always wondered what are government officials thinking when denying visas or entrance into their countries to officials of other countries or spiritual leaders.
In August 2009 Laszlo Solyom, Hungarian President at the time, was denied entry into Slovakia. Solyom was on his way to Revkomarom, a small town in Slovakia, to the unveiling of a statue of Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary.
The Slovak government had issued a diplomatic note in advance notifying Hungary that President Solyom was not welcome on that day, and if he had intended to visit Slovakia, he was to be stopped at the border. However, he is welcome to visit any other day.
Today, the Dalai Lama had to cancel a visit to South Africa because he was not given a visa to the country. According to a New York Times article, the spiritual leader of Tibet had plans to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu with him. The exiled government of Tibet applied for visas for the Dalai Lama and his company in August, but so far none of them were given visas.
Of course, there are issues in the background in both cases. In the case of President Solyom’s failed visit, it is important to know that August 21st is a national commemoration of the Warsaw Pact attack on Czechoslovakia, in which Hungarian soldiers participated too. In the case of South Africa, there is a strong economic tie with China.
However, wouldn’t it be better to put the past behind and differences aside for just one day?
- Adrienn Szlapak
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