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PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
law are not only “paraphrased or retailed” but also honestly scientifically (historically,
comparatively, synthetically) analyzed in an understandable, well-founded and
currently processed interpretation. From this perspective, the Slovak edition of
Brownlie certainly is a groundbreaking achievement.”
I dare not evaluate the precision and accuracy of the Slovak translation − I’m
neither a professional translator nor interpreter (rather a user), and, in addition,
Slovak is not my native language. In any case I would not like to downplay the present
work − on the contrary, it is necessary to emphasize the tremendous importance of
the translation of this publication in a language understandable to both nations.
(I can only express regret for the younger Czech generation for whom the Slovak
language is now more a foreign language than for those who remember the common
state where both languages were commonly spoken).
Anyway, this publication is not an easy one to read − it requires prior acquaintance
with the basics of law, in particular the theory of state and law (
inter alia
the
difference between the world systems of law, the differences between municipal law,
public international law, private international law, international business law, and
other concepts of law).
The intensive study of such crucial publications remains of current value (and
the need for this is possibly increasingly growing), because the fundamental political
situation of today’s world is quite often judged and interpreted inconsistently by
sometimes imperfectly educated presenters (politicians, journalists, political analysts
etc.). And this is an additional contribution of the translation and publication of the
famous Ian Brownlie’s „Principles of Public International Law“.
Finally let me congratulate and thank our Slovak colleagues on this respectable
and worth writing undertaking.
Štefan Viedenský*
* Štefan Viedenský
is a Senior lecturer of International law at the University College of International and
Public Relations, Prague, and at the Faculty of Law of the Pan European University Bratislava (Prague
branch). Previously he served as a diplomat and as a lawyer in various state and private institutions.