BRATISLAVA May 8 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia on Wednesday commemorated here the 74th anniversary of the Victory in Europe Day, also known as VE Day, the end of World War II in Europe.

Political figures including Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini attended the commemoration.

"I'd like to urge all good and decent people, Slovak women and men, not only to commemorate our victory today, but also to mull over and find whether it is in their hearts to do their utmost today to prevent such people, who steered the world towards such horrors back in the day, from ever gaining power again," sai Pellegrini at the commemoration.

The prime minister said that he's glad that Slovakia and Europe have been living in peace for 74 years, but warned that another equally important struggle faces the Slovaks today. "Although not with weapons in their arms, but we can see gradually creeping in and anchoring themselves in society various individuals or parties who deny history and the horrors that occurred during World War II," said Pellegrini.

He was echoed by the Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko, who said that it is important to distinguish between patriotism and nationalism.