Yankees Go Home! Anti-NATO protests erupt in Slovakia

Bratislava - Slovak regional governor Marian Kotleba, who heads the far-right People's Party - Our Slovakia, today displayed a huge banner saying "Yankees go home! Stop NATO" on the regional office building in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia, Slovak daily Sme writes on its website.

The 70th anniversary of the anti-Nazi Slovak National Uprising is marked today, and it is celebrated in particular in Banská Bystrica, where the uprising started. Politicians and diplomats from several foreign countries take part in the celebrations.

Kotleba is known for his negative stance toward NATO and the European Union. He has previously labeled NATO a terrorist organization

. Along with Miroslav Belička, the head of his press section, he hung the banner from the office.

Demonstration in Banska Bystrica against fascism and the war in Ukraine

Kotleba has been the governor of the Banská Bystrica region since November.

He removed the EU flag from the regional office building after his election, calling it "an occupational blue rag."

"Not even Hitler dared to do what the European Union does now. The German flag was flying only at the German Embassy in Bratislava, but not at other offices in the country," he has said, referring to the wartime Nazi-controlled Slovak state.

Before he took up the governor's post, Kotleba was infamous for his extremist speeches and wearing Nazi uniforms.