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{{bilateral|Hungarian-Slovak|Hungary|Slovakia}} {{bilateral|Hungarian-Slovak|Hungary|Slovakia}}


'''Hungary–Slovakia relations''' are the ] between the ] and the ], two neighbouring countries in ]. The countries established diplomatic relations in 1993{{citation_needed}}, the year when Slovakia became independent of ]. Hungary has an ] in ]; Slovakia has an ] in ] and a general ] in ]. '''Hungary–Slovakia relations''' are the ] between the ] and the ], two neighbouring countries in ]. The countries established diplomatic relations in 1993{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}, the year when Slovakia became independent of ]. Hungary has an ] in ], Slovakia has an ] in ] and a general ] in ].


Both countries are full members of ] and of the ]. They share {{convert|676|km|mi}} of common borders. There are approximately 520,000<ref>{{cite book |last1=C.M. Breuning|first1=Eleonore|last2=Dr. Lewis|first2=Jill|last3=Pritchard |first3=Gareth |title=Power and the people: a social history of Central European politics, 1945-56|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2005 |publisher= ]|location= |ref=harv|isbn=0719070694, 9780719070693|page=146|pages=|url= |accessdate=}}</ref> ethnic ] living in Slovakia (about 10% of its population) and around 17,000{{citation needed}} ethnic Slovaks in Hungary (about 0.17% of its population). Both countries are full members of ] and of the ]. They share {{convert|676|km|mi}} of common borders. There are approximately 520,000<ref>{{cite book |last1=C.M. Breuning|first1=Eleonore|last2=Dr. Lewis|first2=Jill|last3=Pritchard |first3=Gareth |title=Power and the people: a social history of Central European politics, 1945-56|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2005 |publisher= ]|location= |ref=harv|isbn=0719070694, 9780719070693|page=146|pages=|url= |accessdate=}}</ref> persons of Hungarian descent living in Slovakia (about 9.5% of its population) and around 17,000{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} persons of Slovak descent living in Hungary (about 0.17% of its population). There have been frequent if minor diplomatic conflicts between the two countries.

There have been many diplomatic conflicts between the two countries, which became more frequent since the ], an extremist<ref name=Mudde>{{cite book
|title= Racist extremism in Central and Eastern Europe
|last=] |first=
|year=2005
|publisher=]
|isbn=9780415355933
|page=xvi
|url=
}}
</ref><ref name=Barany>{{cite book
|title=The East European gypsies: regime change, marginality, and ethnopolitics
|last=Barany
|first=Zoltan D.
|year=2002
|publisher=]
|isbn= 9780521009102
|page=313
|url=
}}</ref><ref name=Sokolova>{{cite web
|last=Sokolova |first=Julian
|title=Slovakia: in search of normal
|url=http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/slovakia-in-search-of-normal-0
|publisher=]
|date=2 April 2009
|accessdate=2009-05-22}}</ref> nationalist party<ref name=Mudde/><ref name=Barany/><ref></ref> led by ] became part of the Government of the Republic of Slovakia.


==History== ==History==
{{See also|Felvidék|Hungarians in Slovakia|History of Hungary|History of Slovakia}} {{See also|Upper Hungary|Hungarians in Slovakia|History of Hungary|History of Slovakia}}
] language map, overlain with modern state borders.]]
The history of Hungarians and Slovaks has been tightly connected.
Slavs arrived to the Western ] in the 7th century. In the 9th century a part of, or all of the Western Carpathians belonged to ], a Slavic state usually identified with ] and the ]. Hungarians are thought to have arrived in the late 9th century<ref>Hungary. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 03, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary </ref>, and occupied the ], including the western portions of ] (modern ]).

Slavs arrived to the Western ] in the 7th century. In the 9th century a part of, or all of the Western Carpathians belonged to ], a ] to the ]<ref name="atlas">{{cite book|title = Történelmi világatlasz|language=Hungarian|trans_title=World Atlas of History|publisher = ]|year = 1998|isbn = 9633525195CM}}</ref>. The history of Great Moravia is not fully known, their borders and the relation of Moravians to today's Slovaks is under dispute among historians.

Hungarians, a union of seven tribes (Principality of Hungary), arrived to the ] in the late 9th century. <ref>Hungary. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 03, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary </ref> They conquered the Carpathian Basin around 900, the Carpathian part of Great Moravia in 899<ref name="atlas" /> and fought campaigns in far ]. Some Hungarian historians accept the theory of ] over the theory of "two arrivals" (so called 'primus ingressus' and 'secundus ingressus'); in this case the ] period is a direct continuity of the Hungarians entering the area, which can be proven by archeologic point of view.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

In 1000, Hungary became a ] under ], containing the area where present-day Slovakia lies. In 1241-42, a huge area of the Kingdom of Hungary was destroyed by the ].

When Slovaks became a distinct people is not precisely known. The Cartographia World Atlas of History names the 15th century Slavs of northern Hungary as Slovaks<ref name="atlas" />. The modern concept of nation and with that, the Slovak national movement appeared after the ], in the 19th century.

In the 16th century central Hungary was occupied by the ], while Hungary had been split to the ] (Transylvania) and the Habsburg ], which contained most of today's Slovakia. The Ottoman oppression lasted until around 1700. Hungary remained part of the Habsburg Empire until 1867, when ] was formed as a ] by the ].

] ethnographic map, with the current state borders of Slovakia and Hungary. The common border line of the two countries was established in the ] of ] and was drawn in a way that split areas of Hungarian majority.]]
] has been dissolved during ] in top of losing, and both Austria and Hungary were punished by the winning countries, e.g. France and Great Britain, separately. The ] confirmed the new borders of Hungary, detaching more than 70% of its territories. The new borders were mostly drawn through areas of ethnic Hungarian majority, leaving 30% of the Hungarians (about 3,300,000 people) outside Hungary. Hungary felt humiliated by this decision and requested the revision of borders. ] was formed in 1918, and received around 61,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> of former Hungarian territories in the Treaty of Trianon.

The Hungarian population of the area of current Slovakia has been reduced over the years from over 31% (1910) to today's less than 10% (2001). Some contributing factors to the rapid decrease in the share of Hungarians were ], strong anti-Hungarian sentiment amongst Slovaks forcing Hungarians to leave during the war and shortly afterwards, and mass deportation of Hungarians in 1945-47 after their property was confiscated and their (Czechoslovak) citizenship revoked as per the ].

Before ], Hungary regained areas of Czechoslovakia with Hungarian majority in the ] of 1938. These territories, however, as Hungary lost World War II, were given to Czechoslovakia again, reestablishing the Trianon borders (with the addition of villages of ], ] and ] given to Czechoslovakia in the northwest) in the ].

According to the official census 104,819 Slovaks were living in Hungary<sup></sup> <ref name="Mesároš">{{cite book|author=Mesároš J.|title=Zložité hľadanie pravdy o slovenských dejinách <!--|origdate=].-->}}</ref>, yet the Czechoslovak authorities estimated their numbers to be 4-500,000.<ref name="Popély"> (in Slovak)<br> (the same article in Hungarian)</ref><ref name="Conférence">{{cite book|title=Conférence de la paix 1919-1920. Recueil des actes de la conférence. Partie IV<!--|origdate=].-->}}</ref> The Czechoslovak government did not hide their dismay when the total number of Slovaks volunteering to be brought to Czechoslovakia was "only" 97,610 even after extended signup-time.<ref name="Popély"/>

According to the official 1910 census over one million Hungarians were living in the territories occupied and later annexed by Czechoslovakia. After 1945 about 30,000 Hungarians fled Czechoslovakia for being forced out of the pension, social and healthcare system <ref></ref>, the loss of their citizenship and property ordered by the ]. Countless others were first hoarded in ]s in ] first (in a manner similar to the treatment of the Jews during ]) and then expelled to Hungary. Massacre of the Hungarians in the camps has been reported as well.<ref></ref> Most of the Hungarians hoarded in these ghettos were in fact citizens of ]. This was the very first move of the Czechoslovak government against Hungarians. The Czechoslovak leadership even pressed for a complete cleansing of the country by the deportation of all Hungarians, however the allies prevented a unilateral expulsion. After the initial plan failed, Czechoslovakia pressed for a bilateral population exchange, to remove Hungarians in exchange for Slovak population, thus changing the ethnic makeup of the country. This plan was initially rejected by ] at the time. Later between 55,487 to 89,660<ref name="Popély"/> Hungarians from Slovakia were exchanged for 71,787<ref name="Popély"/> to 73,200 Slovaks from Hungary, the exact number depending on the source used. The population exchange was voluntary on the for Slovaks (in Hungary) but compulsory for Hungarians (on the Czechoslovak part) who were collected and deported by the Czechoslovak army while having all their property in Czechoslovakia confiscated, much like the way the rest of the population ended up after the communist takeover (the only difference being that Hungarians and Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia are unable to recover their confiscated property up to this day). Over 40,000 Hungarians were also deported to Czech territories, most of which returned home after the communist takeover of ]. As a result of the population exchange the number of Slovaks in Hungary has rapidly decreased from the original 104,819<ref name="Mesároš"/> to the today's approx. 17,000 <ref name="exil.sk"/> (according to the 2001 census) leaving only a small community in Hungary.

According to Slovak historian Ladislav Deák, during the commmunist rule in Hungary, most of the Slovaks who didn't move to Czechoslovakia lost their Slovak identity <ref name="exil.sk">http://www.exil.sk/?id=274&tree_id=99600</ref><ref name="Ladislav Deák: Poznámky k demografii Slovákov v Maďarsku">{{cite book|title=Ladislav Deák: Poznámky k demografii Slovákov v Maďarsku<!--|origdate=].-->}}</ref> Jenő Kaltenbach, ex-ombutsman of national minorties, said that "minorities in Hungary, without exception, are on edge of abyss of their identity", "the national minorities were practicly assimilated and action programs for them are just an illusion". He also said that the Hungarian minority language law is in category of "nice to hear, but full of unrelized law norms".<ref>http://www.luno.hu/content/view/8631/55/</ref><ref>http://dennik.sme.sk/c/3344791/mensiny-v-madarsku-zanikaju.html</ref>

Czechoslovakia dissolved into the ] and Slovakia in ]; since then Hungary and Slovakia maintain diplomatic relations.


The ] in the neighbouring Austrian lands significantly affected Slovak national sentiment, and use of the ] which was being encroached upon by nationally sanctioned dominance of ]. Following ], areas designated by the Allied states (predominantly the ], in accordance with ]'s ]) as Slovak became part of the new state of ], to which Hungary agreed in the ] (1920). The arrangement left a Hungarian minority residing on the territory of Slovakia, analogous to the German minority in the Czech lands, and a much smaller Slovak minority in Hungary, who were forcefully assimilated.<ref name="exil.sk"/> The ] subsequently attempted to invade Slovakia, but was ] by a Czechoslovak-Romanian coalition.
'''Recent conflicts'''
{{See also|2006 Slovak-Hungarian diplomatic affairs}}


During the ] era, Nazi-allied Hungary regained some areas of Slovakia under the ] of 1938. These territories were returned to Czechoslovakia when Hungary was defeated at the conclusion of World War II ] (with the exception of ] which was annexed to the ]).
There has also been numerous conflicts between the two countries since the ].


==The controversy about the Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams== ==The controversy about the Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams==
{{See also|Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams}} {{See also|Gabčíkovo – Nagymaros Dams}}
{{Expand section|date=September 2009}} {{Expand section|date=September 2009}}


==The case of Hedvig Malina== ==The Malina controversy==
{{main|Hedvig Malina}} {{Main|Hedvig Malina}}
], a ] student from ] ({{lang-hu|Vámosfalu}}), Slovakia, was allegedly physically assaulted in a ] incident<ref name=BP/>. Her case represents a highly controversial and debated issue of ]-Slovak relations. ], a ] student from ], Slovakia, made claims of being physically assaulted in a ] incident<ref name=BP/>. Malina claims she was severely beaten and robbed on 25 August 2006 in ] after speaking ] in public.<ref name=BP>{{cite web

Malina claims she was severely beaten and robbed on 25 August 2006 in ] ({{lang|hu|''Nyitra ''}}) after speaking ] in public.<ref name=BP>{{cite web
|title=Malina case bungled: Prosecutor |title=Malina case bungled: Prosecutor
|publisher=] |publisher=]
Line 85: Line 32:
|publisher = lepetitjournal.com |publisher = lepetitjournal.com
|date = 18 September 2006 |date = 18 September 2006
|accessdate = 2008-04-01}}</ref> She claims her attackers wrote "SK without parasites" ({{lang-sk|SK bez parazitov}}), and "Hungarians to the other side of the Danube" (''Maďari za Dunaj'') on her clothes, the latter of the terms having been written with a spelling mistake (with an ''i'' instead of ''j''). The alleged perpetrators were ] teenagers, while the alleged victim was a university student specializing in languages. The Slovak police alleged that the assault had never taken place, but the appearance of severe bruises and wounds on her (photographed in detail after the assault) was never explained. Currently Malina is being charged with ] and further police investigation is in progress.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate = 2008-04-01}}</ref> She claims her attackers wrote "SK without parasites" ({{lang-sk|SK bez parazitov}}), and "Hungarians to the other side of the Danube" ({{lang-sk|Maďari za Dunaj}}) on her clothes. Upon investigation of the incident by Slovak Police, Malina was found to have made misleading statements to the police and has been charged with ].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://dnes.atlas.sk/slovensko/587947/v-kauze-hedviga-malinova-dnes-vypocuju-dvoch-policajtov |url=http://dnes.atlas.sk/slovensko/587947/v-kauze-hedviga-malinova-dnes-vypocuju-dvoch-policajtov
|title={{lang|sk|dviga Malinová vypočujú dvoch policajtov}} |title={{lang|sk|dviga Malinová vypočujú dvoch policajtov}}
Line 91: Line 38:
|accessdate=2009-09-29 |accessdate=2009-09-29
|publisher= |publisher=
}}</ref> In December 2007, Slovak police released a video tape of the initial hearing to Malina's lawyers, who are now claiming irregularities in the way the interview had been conducted.<ref>{{cite web|title=The record of the interrogation of Hedvig Malina has been leaked out|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Origo''|url=http://www.origo.hu/nagyvilag/20071211-kiszivargott-a-felvetel-malina-hedvig-kihallgatasarol.html|accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Why were three policemen present at the hearing of Hedvig Malina?|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Index''|url=http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mh5553/|accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Video leaked out: what happened during the interrogation of Hedvig Malina?|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Hírszerző''|url=http://www.hirszerzo.hu/cikk.kiszivargott_kepsorok_mi_tortent_malina_hedvig_kihallgatasan.51649.html |accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref> Malina has taken her case to the ], challenging what she terms the "inhumane and humiliating" conduct of Slovak officials.<ref name = "higherjustice"/>
}}</ref>

Most Slovak political parties condemned the incident<ref name = beaten>{{cite web|title=A Hungarian student was beaten in Slovakia|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Index''|url=http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/nyitra5601|date=2006-08-25|accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref>, the ], led by ], being a notable exception<ref name = beaten/>.

In December 2007, 15 months after the alleged beating, the Slovak police gave the ] about the initial Malina hearing to Roman Kvasnica, her lawyer. It became apparent that the police had broken the law several times. They did not mention before that another three police officers were present in the room throughout the hearing.<ref>{{cite web|title=The record of the interrogation of Hedvig Malina has been leaked out|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Origo''|url=http://www.origo.hu/nagyvilag/20071211-kiszivargott-a-felvetel-malina-hedvig-kihallgatasarol.html|accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref> The interviewers stopped the recording several times. The interview lasted for six hours, but the police recorded only five hours of it, and Kvasnica got only three hours of the recording.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why were three policemen present at the hearing of Hedvig Malina?|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Index''|url=http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mh5553/|accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref> Despite the police's earlier claims not one, but two cameras were used for the recording.<ref>{{cite web|title=Video leaked out: what happened during the interrogation of Hedvig Malina?|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Hírszerző''|url=http://www.hirszerzo.hu/cikk.kiszivargott_kepsorok_mi_tortent_malina_hedvig_kihallgatasan.51649.html |accessdate=2008-02-12}}</ref> Malina remains to be charged with ] for which she may be sentenced up to five years in prison.

Malina then took her case to the ], challenging what she calls the "inhumane and humiliating" conduct of the Slovak officials.<ref name = "higherjustice"/> She reportedly told the '']'' that she was only looking for "moral satisfaction."<ref name = "higherjustice"/>

==The tour guide affair==
A group of Hungarian students from ], Hungary accompanied by two history teachers visited ] ({{lang-hu|Pozsony}}) where the teachers were giving a lecture about the cathedral of the city (an important artifact of the Hungarian history, where numerous Hungarian kings were crowned).

The teachers were ]d by the Slovak police in ] under the charge of performing an illegal ], meaning that their lecture for the students was an act of being a guide without having proper license. Although the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for an official apology from his Slovak colleague, it never happened (just like after any other incidents between Slovakia and Hungary) and as it later turned out, there was no law requiring a guide license for tour guiding in Bratislava at the time.<ref></ref>


==Confirmation of the Beneš decrees== ==Confirmation of the Beneš decrees==
In the summer of 2007, ] has proposed a law that would grant compensation by "moral and financial means" for Hungarians harmed by the ] of former ].<ref> in Hungarian</ref> This compensation was to consist of a fund that would be available to the Hungarian community is Slovakia by various means.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} A similar fund exists to compensate the Germans and the Jews for the wrongdoings of 1939-47.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} Differences between the two cases exist, and it is claimed the analogy is weak. Hungarians were never expelled (as were the ]), nor exterminated in death camps (as were the ]). All ethnically Slovak members voted to confirm the decrees; Hungarian leaders voted against them.<ref> in Hungarian</ref> The then Hungarian President ] said the decision was unacceptable and that it would put a strain on Hungarian-Slovak relations.<ref> in Hungarian</ref>
{{see|Slovakization}}
In the summer of 2007, ] has proposed a law that would grant compensation by "moral and financial means" for Hungarians harmed by the ].<ref> in Hungarian</ref> This compensation was to consist of a fund that would be available to the Hungarian community is Slovakia by various means. A similar fund exists to compensate the Germans and the Jews for the wrongdoings of 1939-47. Despite that the initiative of ] led to a political outrage against the Hungarians along with ], the leader of ] being labeled an "extremist seeking to strengthen his position within SMK (])".<ref> in Slovak</ref> A petition has been started by Hungarian intelligentsia in favor of the compensation as well, to no avail.<ref> in Hungarian</ref> On 20 September 2007 the Slovak Parliament (re)confirmed the ] in a declaration.


==Claims of Hungarian irredentism in Viktor Orbán speech==
The most known parts of the decrees deal with the status of ethnic Germans and Hungarians in post-war ], probably{{Citation needed|September 2009|date=September 2009}} fearing Hungarian territorial claims on the 85% Hungarian majority in southern Czechoslovakia that was reattached to Hungary in 1938. These parts of the decrees declared Hungarians collectively guilty of the war, and deprived them of their property, citizenship and basic human rights.
Hungarian opposition leader, chairman of ], ] delivered a (campaign) speech in ], Hungary on May 23, 2009, two weeks before the ], referring to unified political representation from the "]", or the traditional area of the pre-WW1 ], including areas of ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20090525-uszitasnak-tartja-fico-orban-kampanybeszedet.html</ref> Slovakia and the other Carpathian states were alarmed by the insinuation of continued geopolitical integrity in the region, and condemned the move as revisionist and irredentist.<ref>http://www.vg.hu/index.php?apps=cikk&cikk=275746</ref> The Slovak Parliament was called in an emergency session to discuss the issue.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}


==Language laws==
All ethnically Slovak members voted to confirm the decrees; Hungarian leaders voted against it.<ref> in Hungarian</ref> The then Hungarian President ] said the decision was unacceptable and that it would put a strain on Hungarian-Slovak relations.<ref> in Hungarian</ref>
===Slovak language law===

Before that, ], the chairman of the Slovak governing party ], said in 2007 that anyone who questions the way of sorting out the European situation after World War II should be imprisoned, and "there he can ponder about all that".<ref></ref> Slota and his party wanted to create laws that would imprison anyone who questioned either the 1920 ] (to aim to reform the borders with Czechoslovakia where over a million Hungarians live), or the decrees of Beneš, declaring Hungarians collectively guilty of the war.<ref></ref>

==Police attack in Dunajská Streda==
On November 1, 2008 in ] ({{lang-hu|Dunaszerdahely}}), Slovakia was a football game fought between the ] and ] where Hungarian viewers were beaten by Slovak policemen,<ref></ref><ref></ref>
after only 15 minutes of gameplay, injuring more than 60 people, many of whom lost consciousness or suffered injuries including concussion and broken jaws.<ref name=Times>{{cite news|url=http://www.budapesttimes.hu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9883&Itemid=213|title=Hungarians attacked|last=Leitner|first=Attila|date=2008-11-10|work=]|accessdate=2009-05-17}}</ref> Amongst the injured were citizens of Hungary as well, who were at the game to support the home team (DAC) and to protest the burning of a Hungarian flag at an earlier game.<ref name=Times/>

Press reports from the scene said that the police failed to act against Slovan supporters who were throwing smoke bombs, noise grenades and other missiles on the pitch.<ref name=Times/> According to videos posted on the internet showing the incident from various angles the supporters were not doing anything that would warrant such an intervention by police.<ref name=Times/> Five days after the game the Slovak police presented a photo as evidence, showing one of the supporters raising his fist to throw a punch, but police officers can not be seen on the image.<ref name=Times/> The Slovak government has later tried to dismiss the case by stating that "the raid of the police was righteous and there's no point in further investigations" (said by Slovak prime minister ]<ref> in Slovak</ref>) and alleged that people beaten by the police were in fact exclusively Hungarian extremists and troublemakers coming from Hungary.<ref> in Slovak</ref> Spontaneous demonstrations were held in ] at the embassy and the consulate of Slovakia on the night of the incident.<ref name=Times/> Protesters lit candles to honor the victims and burned a Slovak flag.<ref name=Times/>
The ] and the Hungarian papers said the event was an anti-Hungarian attack. According to ], who is known for hate speech against Hungarians, the Hungarians provoked the Slovak policemen.<ref></ref>

==Controversies around ]==

===Conflict over a speech of Viktor Orbán===
Hungarian opposition leader, chairman of ], Viktor Orbán delivered a (campaign) speech in ], Hungary on May 23, 2009, two weeks before the ]. He said that the elections will decide how many members will represent the Hungarian nation of the ] in ]<ref>Origo.hu</ref>. Slovak Prime Minister ] declared that this statement was provocative, because it suggest a kind of territorial unity of the Hungarian-populated Carpathian Basin like "a fictive state", although the area currently consists of several independent states.<ref>Világgazdaság </ref>
Nationalist and extremist ] called these words "stinking of neonazism, neofascism", a claim which was refused by Hungarian Prime Minister ].<ref>Index.hu </ref>

The Slovak Parliament was called in an emergency session because of this issue, to protest against the speech of Orbán and Hungarian nationalism.

===Viktor Orbán's revisionism===
Viktor Orbán is reported to have also described Hungary to have the northern border not with Slovakia but with Poland. This is an allusion to the ] ]. This remark was described as dangerous and an attempt on the change of the post-war status quo by then Czech vice-prime minister ] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mzv.cz%2Fpublic%2F5d%2F70%2F64%2F23056_14945_Dok5_2002.doc&ei=V56vS-zuDJSosAbWwv3PDg&usg=AFQjCNGFr-KQWAos0EqtYZyHZlh-MvckvQ&sig2=gIlXMPofbd7zbGlV9jTO8Q|title=ROZHOVOR S VICEPREMIÉREM ČR VLADIMÍREM ŠPIDLOU PRO DENÍK LIDOVÉ NOVINY (20. května 2002) ŠÉF CSU PŘEKROČIL DEKLARACI |last=Fischer |first=Petr|date=20 May 2002|language=Czech|accessdate=28 March 2010}}</ref> .

==Use of Hungarian in Slovakia==
]
===Geographical names in school books===
===Language law===
{{Main|Language law of Slovakia}} {{Main|Language law of Slovakia}}
]
In ] the Slovak parliament passed a so-called "state language law", which asserts that conversation in most public situations, public offices and institutions must be held in ].<ref></ref> Use of another language, such as ]<ref>The mother language of 10% of the citizens of the Republic of Slovakia</ref> in the conditions described by the law results in money penalty: a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 5000 euros. In point 24, §8, article 4 the law states that if a person doesn’t know the state language, conversation can be held, in any language that is spoken by both parties. This applies only to settlements where more than 20% of the population speak Hungarian. This means that the use of Hungarian in major cities where thousands of Hungarian speakers reside, yet they constitute much less than 20% of the population (namely the capital ] and ]), is forbidden by the law at least in public health institutions.<ref></ref>
In 2009 the Slovak parliament passed a language law, mandating preferential use of the state language – ].<ref></ref> Use of a non-state language when conducting business could carry a financial penalty. Similar laws exist in many regions of the world, and the Slovak language law shares much in common with the ] of ], ].


Opponents have described the law as one that "''criminalises the use of Hungarian''"<ref>The Economist </ref>, however according to the Slovak government the law itself doesn't interfere with use of minority languages.<ref>.</ref> According to ] ] ] the language law complies with international law and Slovakia's international obligations.<ref>http://www.sme.sk/c/4944441/vollebaek-s-jazykovymi-pokutami-narabajte-opatrne.html</ref> The Party of the Hungarian Coalition (]) asked the Slovak Government to release communication exchanged between them and Vollebæk<ref></ref> so that the opinion of Vollebæk regarding the law could not be misrepresented or distorted. According to the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs the report was released unchanged and in full. Spokesman Peter Stano stated: "It is obvious that the ] was unable to question the reliability of Vollebæk report, that law is following the legitimate goal and it's in accordance with all international norms." <ref>http://www.sme.sk/c/5001273/smk-vyzvala-vladu-aby-zverejnila-celu-korespondenciu-s-vollebaekom.html</ref>
] described the law as one that "''criminalises the use of Hungarian''"<ref>The Economist </ref> as the mother tongue of 10.7% of the citizens of Slovakia is the Hungarian language, the usage of which will be punished by Slovakia in certain situations.


], the Hungarian Prime Minister, has charged Slovakia of scapegoating Hungarian speakers.<ref></ref> Hungarian foreign minister ] compared the creation of the language law to the politics of the ] regime on the use of language.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> Hungarian newspaper ] has questioned the dual standards for use the ] in Slovakia<ref></ref>, however this charge ignores the ] between Czech and Slovak<ref name=CzeSlo>{{cite book |title=Speaking from the Margin: Global English from a European Perspective |chapter=Glocalisation and the Ausbau sociolinguistics of modern Europe |chapterurl=http://www.newjumbo.info/go/nph-go.cgi/000110A/http/web.archive.org/web/20060313102742/http:/=2fwww.york.ac.uk/depts/lang/Jack_Chambers/globalisation.pdf |last=Trudgill |first=Peter |authorlink=Peter Trudgill |editor1-last=Duszak |editor1-first=Anna |editor2-last=Okulska |editor2-first=Urszula |publisher=Peter Lang |series=Polish Studies in English Language and Literature 11 |year=2004 |isbn=0820473286}}</ref>, which render them compatible in business and law.
According the Slovak government, however, the law itself doesn't interfere with use of minority language in the republic.<ref>.</ref> According to ] ] ] the so called language law is accordance with the international law and Slovakia's international obligations, yet it doesn't show good will at all.<ref>SME.sk</ref>{{quotation|When read systematically, it is clear that the extension of the scope of application of the Law does not (and cannot) imply a restriction of the linguistic rights of persons belonging to national minorities.<ref name="vollebaek">{{cite web|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/4944441/vollebaek-s-jazykovymi-pokutami-narabajte-opatrne.html|title=Vollebaek: S jazykovými pokutami narábajte opatrne|date=2009-07-22|publisher=SME.sk|accessdate=2009-09-10}}</ref>|Knut Vollebæk OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities}} Vollebæk had also several criticisms toward the language law, during its preparation. The Party of the Hungarian Coalition (]) asked the Slovak Government to release communication exchanged between them and Vollebæk<ref></ref> so that the opinion of Vollebæk regarding the law could not be misrepresented or distorted. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs the report was released unchanged on their website. Spokesman Peter Stano: "It is obvious that ] was unable to question the reliability of Vollebæk report, that law is following the legitimate goal and it's in accordance with all international norms." <ref>SME.sk </ref>


===Hungarian language law===
Hungary has expressed their worries about the law being discriminative against ].
According to Slovak historian Ladislav Deák, during the communist rule in Hungary, most of the Slovak minority who didn't emigrate were stripped of their Slovak identity.<ref name="exil.sk">http://www.exil.sk/?id=274&tree_id=99600</ref><ref name="Ladislav Deák: Poznámky k demografii Slovákov v Maďarsku">{{cite book|title=Ladislav Deák: Poznámky k demografii Slovákov v Maďarsku<!--|origdate=1992.-->}}</ref> Jenő Kaltenbach, Hungarian ex-ombudsman for national minorities, said that "minorities in Hungary, without exception, are on edge of abyss of their identity", "the national minorities were practically assimilated and action programs for them are just an illusion". He also said that the Hungarian minority language law is in category of "nice to hear, but full of unrealised law norms".<ref>http://www.luno.hu/content/view/8631/55/</ref><ref>http://dennik.sme.sk/c/3344791/mensiny-v-madarsku-zanikaju.html</ref>
On the 31st of August a statue was unveiled at a national demonstration of Hungarians living in Slovakia protesting the language law. During the unveiling it was explained in a speech that " wants to chain Hungarians and cause ] to them, and we can not allow that. That's the message of the statue" <ref></ref>


==Komárno incident==
According to ], Hungarian Prime Minister it is extremely harmful when certain extremist Slovak politicians use the issue of minorities to hide real problems.<ref></ref> In early September the language law was brought to the attention of the White House by Ferenc Koszorus, co-chairman of the American-Hungarian Federation. Calling the law "unacceptable and discriminative", Koszorus emphasised the importance of democracy and respect for human and minority rights at the meeting with senior foreign policy-makers of the US Administration.<ref></ref> Hungarian foreign minister ] compared the creation of the language law to the politics of the ] regime on the use of language.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>

===Discrimination===
According to ] "''Section §3 of the law is openly discriminative, since it states that the Czech minority may use their native language without restrictions, which means that members of other minorities are prohibited from using theirs. As in many areas of Europe, including Slovakia, ethnic identity and the use of the native language are closely intertwined, which means that discrimination in native language use amounts to discrimination based on ethnicity.''<ref></ref>"

==Hungarian President banned from entering Slovakia==
{{Main|2009 ban of Hungarian President from Slovakia}} {{Main|2009 ban of Hungarian President from Slovakia}}


In 2009 the Hungarian president, ], planned a visit to the Slovak city of ] to unveil a statue commemorating a Hungarian monarch. The day of the visit coincided with a national Hungarian holiday commemorating the ], as well as the date of the ], of which Hungary was a participant. The Slovak government labelled the timing deliberate provocation, and questioned the president's refusal to meet with Slovak delegates.<ref>http://index.hu/kulfold/2009/08/19/gasparovic_fico_paska_solyom_direkt_provokal/</ref> The Slovak government issued a one-day travel ban in response<ref></ref>, and manned the bridge with policemen to prevent rioting.<ref>http://index.hu/belfold/2009/08/21/nem_ajanljak_a_szlovakok_solyomnak_hogy_revkomaromba_utazzon/</ref>. Sólyom did not enter Slovakia.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} The ] called the ban "unfounded" and "unacceptable".<ref name="mti.hu">http://www.mti.hu/cikk/413770/</ref> Hungary plans to lodge a complaint with the EU<ref>http://www.mti.hu/cikk/413776/</ref>, however, according to ], the ] does not want to concern itself with the case.<ref>http://derstandard.at/fs/1250691078076/EU-Reaktion-Ratsvorsitz-haelt-sich-zurueck</ref>
], Hungary with ], Slovakia. The bridge where President Sólyom planned to cross the border.]]
], the ] planned a visit to ] ({{lang-hu|Révkomárom}}), a Slovakian town on the Hungarian border where he was about to unveil a new statue of the first king of Hungary, ] built from donations. The date of the dedication was set to August 21, 2009, the day after the national holiday of Hungary celebrating the formation of the ] by King Saint Stephen in the year ].

According to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit was organised about a month beforehand, in June 2009 as it is customary for public visits to a foreign country, and the Slovak side did not raise any objections.<ref>Index.hu</ref> Slovakia claims<ref name="mti.hu"></ref> that this is not true and they were informed only a week before.

On August 19 the three major leaders of Slovakia, ] (head of state), ] (prime minister) and ] (head of the parliament) stated that the visit is a deliberate provocation against Slovakia<ref></ref> as the date coincides with the anniversary of the crushing of the ] ] by ] troops led by the ], and as a Warsaw Pact country, the ] also took part in the invasion. An additional problem for them was that Sólyom did not plan to meet any Slovak delegates.

On August 20, ], Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia officially informed ], ambassador of Hungary in ] that László Sólyom is advised against crossing the Slovak border. The next day the recommendation turned into a one-day ban by Prime Minister Robert Fico. The statement about the ban was sent to the embassy in the afternoon of August 21, hours before the planned unveiling. Slovakia is quoted to have stated that the authorities will not use physical force to prevent the President from entering the country (although the documents issued to the embassy did not contain such statements).

On the border ], Executive of the Police of Slovakia along with ] and a great number of policemen were waiting for Sólyom.<ref>http://index.hu/belfold/2009/08/21/nem_ajanljak_a_szlovakok_solyomnak_hogy_revkomaromba_utazzon/</ref>. President Sólyom did not enter Slovakia, saying he, as a lawyer and head of a state, respects law. He stopped on the middle of the bridge over the ] leading from Hungarian ] to Slovakian ] and informed reporters and the media about the events from the Hungarian side of the border. He stated:
{{quote|In a relation of two allied states, this step is unexplainable and inexplicable, with particular attention to the given reason of the ban stating that my presence constitutes a security risk.<ref>„Ez két szövetséges állam kapcsolatában megmagyarázhatatlan és kimenthetetlen lépés, különös tekintettel a kitiltás indokolására, vagyis arra, hogy biztonsági kockázatot jelent a jelenlétem”</ref>|László Sólyom}}
{{quote|I hope the hysteria of the highest state levels in the last days does not reflect the feelings of the Slovak nation.<ref>„Remélem, hogy az utolsó napok hisztériája a legfelsőbb állami szinteken nem a szlovák nép érzelmeit tükrözi”</ref>|László Sólyom}}

The ] called the ban "unfounded" and its justification "deplorable" and "unacceptable".<ref name="mti.hu"/>

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary plans to inform the EU and a broader international public about the events, as told by the minister, ], stating that the ministry plans greater actions than only talking to the ambassador because of this "rude" political action. According to him, the ban was not lawful, because the already given international permissions haven't been withdrawn and the embassy just got an "unfriendly" document, which would in theory have allowed Sólyom to enter Slovakia. He also said the Slovak diplomacy has turned international law "upside down" by leaving the international permissions while banning Sólyom personally, as a civilian.<ref>MTI 2009. august 21</ref>
However, according to ], the ] does not want to concern itself with the case, while European Commission spokesman Michael Mann didn't want to answer the question if Slovakia acted according to international norms.<ref>http://derstandard.at/fs/1250691078076/EU-Reaktion-Ratsvorsitz-haelt-sich-zurueck</ref>
According to political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov commenting to the ] the incident is not only a bilateral problem because Slovakia disregarded the basic principles of the EU by denying entry, creating a problem that the EU will have to deal with.
He also said that "was an authorised action of the government, which is composed of political parties that systematically play the Hungarian card." <ref></ref>

On March 15, 2010 Slovak prime minister ] has defended the ban in a speech given for an unrelated issue, claiming that a recent proposal of Sólyom to teach Hungarian as a foreign language in countries with significant amount of Hungarian speakers such as ], ] and ] proves the fact that the ban was justified.<ref> in Czech</ref> In March 2010 the Government of Hungary decided to bring a court case against Slovakia before the European Court because of the ban. <ref>Origo </ref><ref>MTI 2010. March 30. 15:00 </ref>

==Attack on the Slovak embassy in Budapest==
On August 26, 2009, two ]s were thrown at the Slovak embassy in Budapest causing no casualties as the flammable fluids did not ignite or detonate.<ref name="reakcia">{{cite web|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/4990557/reakcia-prisla-v-zapalnej-flasi.html|title=Reakcia prišla v zápalnej fľaši|publisher=SME|language=Slovak|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref>

Hungarian President ] condemned the action "as categorically as possible" on the same day, stating he is convinced that such violent actions are not acceptable under any circumstances and have an extremely harmful effect on the bilateral relations of the countries. László Sólyom hopes that the authorities will find the perpetrators as soon as possible so they must face the law for their actions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keh.hu/20090826_condemns.html|title=President László Sólyom condemns the molotov cocktail attack of this night against the building of the Slovak Embassy in Budapest as categorically as possible|accessdate=2009-08-29|date=2009-08-26}}</ref>

The foreign ministry of Slovakia stated they view the incident with great concern, but at the same time "it is seen as an isolated criminal offense"<ref>http://www.tasr.sk/30.axd?k=20090826TBB00172</ref>. ], chairman of government party ] called the offense a terrorist attack.<ref>: "Predseda SNS Jána Slotu útok označil za teroristický akt a dôsledok protislovenskej kampane."</ref>

==Assault on the Slovak ambassador to Hungary==
On August 27, 2009 a driver attempted to push the diplomatic car of Peter Weiss off the road while driving in the Budapest traffic. After the attacker swayed his car toward the diplomatic vehicle, he continued to assault verbally. No one was injured during the incident.

A short time after, the attackers were stopped by the Hungarian police not far from the incident. They were interrogated and the police searched through their house and car. The police investigated whether this incident is connected to the attack on the Slovak embassy of the previous day.

The Slovak side refused to comment on the issue, citing the fear of exacerbating the already strained relationship as the reason.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/4993611/slovenskeho-velvyslanca-sa-v-budapesti-pokusili-vytlacit-z-cesty.html|title=Slovenského veľvyslanca sa v Budapešti pokúsili vytlačiť z cesty|date=2009-08-28|publisher=SME|language=Slovak|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://index.hu/belfold/2009/08/27/rarantottak_a_kormanyt_a_szlovak_nagykovetre/|title=Rárántották a kormányt a szlovák nagykövetre|date=2009-08-27|publisher=Index|language=Hungarian|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref>

==Views of the Slovak Government party SNS==
], chairman of ] party ], according to whom "Hungarians are a tumour on the body of the Slovak nation that needs to be removed without delay"<ref name="tumor"></ref>.]]
], a key symbol of ]. An "''ugly ]''" according to Slota.]]
], first ]: "''a ] on a horse''" as said by Ján Slota, chairman of a government party of Slovakia.]]

As a result of the ] the ] and ] ] (SNS) has become a government power in ]. ], chairman of SNS is known for making crude anti-Hungarian statements. Because of the coalition of Slovak main governing party ] with SNS, Smer had been suspended from the membership of the ]<ref></ref> for two years.

===Destroying Budapest by tanks===
Probably drunk<ref name="spectator.sk"></ref> at a party rally on 5 March 1999, he reportedly threatened to send tanks to "flatten Budapest" should Slovakia's Hungarian minority, once the ruling class and still about 10 percent of the country's population today, attempt to teach the Slovaks "the Lord's Prayer in Hungarian" once again.<ref name="Spiegel">{{cite web|title=Chaos, Corruption and Extremism - Political Crises Abound in Eastern Europe|work=]|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,485497,00.html|date=2007-05-29|accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref>

===Hungarians: a 'tumor' on the body of the Slovak nation===
In 2006, ] ] ] created a compilation of Slota's comments of xenophobic nature and sent it via e-mail to all members of the Parliament. The eleven-page document includes this remark, made by Slota:<ref name="tumor" />:
{{quotation|“Hungarians are a tumour on the body of the Slovak nation that needs to be removed without delay.”.|Ján Slota}}

The same quote appeared in the ] and various international media outlets, who reported Slota's words as “The Hungarians are a ] in the body of the Slovak nation.” <ref>{{cite web|title=Separatist Movements Seek Inspiration in Kosovo|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,537008-2,00.html|work=]|date=2008-02-22|accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>

===Other statements===
Slota compared the ] Hungarian population of Slovakia to the Moroccan and Algerian ] to France:
{{quotation|“they are also all French, who are divided to the French, the immigrants and the foreigners.”<br>
“I argue that they are not Hungarians. These are the Slovaks, who express themselves in Hungarian.”<ref></ref><ref></ref>|Ján Slota, to the ] news agency, January 4, 2008}}

], chairman of the ] called the statement "primitive crudeness"<ref></ref>.

While Hungarian Prime Minister ] and his Slovak counterpart ] were meeting in ], Ján Slota called the ], a ] ] an "ugly ]"<ref>{{cite web|title=Slota ridicules Hungarians during PMs' meeting|url=http://www.spectator.sk/articles/view/32832/10/slota_ridicules_hungarians_during_pms_meeting.html|work=]|date=2008-09-03|accessdate=2008-09-18}}</ref>, and insulted the first King of Hungary, ] by calling him "a ] on a horse from Budapest", referring to the mounted statue of the king standing in the ]. The latter was on the occasion of a law about education, arguing with a Hungarian history book (containing the picture of the statue in question) in favor of the law.<ref> (video in Slovak)</ref>
In a ] a few days before the ] he allegedly quoted a ] bishop in an anti-Hungarian context:
{{quotation|“Back in ] a Frankish bishop visited the ] and said:<br>
»''As I was scanning this country, I was wondering how could God have given such a beautiful land to such ugly people.''«<br>
He meant the 'old Hungarians', because they were ] types with ]s and they owned such disgusting horses. Actually, small horses. This is what the bishop said, it is written. Exactly, it is written word by word. And now, after more than 800 years those 'Mongoloids' somehow disappeared. I don't know who showed them how to be civilised. But unfortunately, I think it was the Slavic blood. Unfortunately... And I really don't know if these Hungarians, that like to say about themselves that they are Hungarians, are really Hungarians. I think 90% of them has Slavic blood, and maybe 10%, or maybe just 0.1% has the 'old Hungarian' blood. But they still voluntarily report as fools to some ]s and other insanities...”<ref>mkp.sk</ref>|Ján Slota on television, June 2006}}


==Attack on the Slovak Embassy==
], former Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, a "''tousled haired woman''" as called by Slota.]]
===Attack on the Embassy itself===
Slota repeatedly insulted the then Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, ], among others by criticizing her hair and comparing her to ].<ref></ref>
On August 26, 2009, two ]s were thrown at the Slovak embassy in Budapest, causing no casualties as the flammable fluids did not ignite or detonate.<ref name="reakcia">{{cite web|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/4990557/reakcia-prisla-v-zapalnej-flasi.html|title=Reakcia prišla v zápalnej fľaši|publisher=SME|language=Slovak|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref> Authorities condemned the attack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keh.hu/20090826_condemns.html|title=President László Sólyom condemns the molotov cocktail attack of this night against the building of the Slovak Embassy in Budapest as categorically as possible|accessdate=2009-08-29|date=2009-08-26}}</ref> The foreign ministry of Slovakia stated they view the incident with great concern, but at the same time "it is seen as an isolated criminal offence"<ref>http://www.tasr.sk/30.axd?k=20090826TBB00172</ref>.
{{quotation|We won't succumb to the pressure from our southern neighbor and Budapest: a tousled haired woman, a wretch is threatening us and asking questions from the Slovak prime minister, whose shoe heel is even at higher level than herself.<br>
What they are doing is the top of arrogance. I can compare her to ] and to that little mustached person in a Munich cellar. He had the same rhetorics as this woman. Perhaps her mustache is also starting to grow.|Ján Slota}}


===Attack on the Slovak ambassador===
'''Constructing double crosses against the Turul'''
On August 27, 2009, one day following the armed attack on the embassy, a Hungarian driver attempted to run the diplomatic car of Peter Weiss off the road while driving in the Budapest traffic. Though the diplomatic vehicle remained on the road, the driver begun to verbally assault its occupants. The driver and his accomplices were stopped and it is now being investigated whether the outburst was connected to the Embassy attack. The Slovak government did not condemn the attack as a good-will gesture towards Hungary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/4993611/slovenskeho-velvyslanca-sa-v-budapesti-pokusili-vytlacit-z-cesty.html|title=Slovenského veľvyslanca sa v Budapešti pokúsili vytlačiť z cesty|date=2009-08-28|publisher=SME|language=Slovak|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://index.hu/belfold/2009/08/27/rarantottak_a_kormanyt_a_szlovak_nagykovetre/|title=Rárántották a kormányt a szlovák nagykövetre|date=2009-08-27|publisher=Index|language=Hungarian|accessdate=2009-08-29}}</ref>
{{multiple image
| footer = The double cross is a common symbol of the two countries. The ] (''left'') and ] (''right'') both contain it.
| width = 70
| image1 = Coat of Arms of Hungary.svg
| alt1 = ]
| image2 = Coat of Arms of Slovakia.svg
| alt2 = ]
}}


==Fringe political statements==
Slota started constructing double crosses along the Hungarian border "so they will know it is not the ] where they arrive, but Slovakia" <ref></ref><ref></ref>.
{{See also|Ján Slota}}
{{quotation|We will build double crosses all over Slovakia, also in the south, so we won't have to see the stupid Turul birds fly around Southern Slovakia.|Ján Slota}}


Following the ] the fringe ] (SNS) became a small part of the governing coalition. ], chairman of SNS is known for anti-Hungarian sentiment. ] and various international media outlets have reported Slota as saying “''The Hungarians are a cancer in the body of the Slovak nation.''” <ref>{{cite web|title=Separatist Movements Seek Inspiration in Kosovo|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,537008-2,00.html|work=]|date=2008-02-22|accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>
'''Settlements with double crosses built by SNS'''
* ] ({{lang-hu|Malacka}}) <ref></ref>
* ] ({{lang-hu|Csörgő}}) <ref></ref>
* ] ({{lang-hu|Igló}}) <ref name="butlav"></ref>
* ] ({{lang-hu|Losonc}}) <ref name="butlav" />
* ] <ref></ref>


==Historical revisionism==
=="Wise historism"==
It has been alleged that Deputy PM ] has been engaging in historical revisionism in the government's update of the national curriculum.<ref name="inventing">Eduard Krekovič, Elena Mannová, Eva Krekovičová: Mýty naše slovenské, Bratislava, AEPress, 2005, ISBN 8088880610</ref><ref name="cancel">, ], July 31, 1996</ref> Slovak political scientist ] claims that by adopting such scientifically questionable rhetoric Fico aims to "strengthen national consciousness by the falsification of history".<ref></ref> It is not known whether this issue has affected relations between the states.
Since deputy prime minister ] declared the "wise historism" concept, the history books are getting rewritten in a faster pace than before, and in an increased "spirit of national pride". The concept itself is not a new one, since it has been practiced during the years of the ] as well albeit with a slightly different ideology. Today's "spirit of national pride" has roots in the policies adopted by the Slovak government in years 1993-1998 with ] as the prime minister at the time.<ref name="Expres_Machala" /><ref> in Hungarian</ref> The actual course is determined by Matica Slovenská, a private organization without public supervision, but nevertheless extensive control over state education and cultural affairs in Slovakia.<ref name="inventing" /><ref name="cancel">, ], July 31, 1996</ref> Such claims of theirs include the interpretation of ] as a (proto-)Slovak state and the Slavs as (proto-)Slovaks, which is being used to assert that not only the Slovak nation was present in the Carpathian basin well before the Hungarians (e.g. proclaming ] as the oldest Slovak city<ref name="kids_book">D. Machala: Čítanie o Slovensku pre prvý stupeň základných škôl, Bratislava, Expol Pedagogika, 2008, ISBN 9788080911317, p. 20-23</ref>), but also that it was in fact the Slovaks who taught the Hungarians how to "plow, weave, build houses, fortresses, bridges and temples".<ref name="slovak_teaching">M. Ferko, R. Marsina, L. Deák, I. Kružliak: Starý národ - Mladý štát. Prehľad slovenských dejín pre školy, Bratislava, Litera 1994, ISBN 8096711806, p. 38-39</ref> Part of the "wise historism" concept is to infuse the children with such "spirit of national pride" at an early age, indicated by books incorporating the concept in schoolbooks intended for primary school pupils.<ref name="kids_book" /> Such claims have been condemned by mainstream historicians and the mainstream media as well, pointing out that the term proto-Slovak cannot be found in any credible scientific publication, simply because it lacks any scientific basis.<ref name="inventing">Eduard Krekovič, Elena Mannová, Eva Krekovičová: Mýty naše slovenské, Bratislava, AEPress, 2005, ISBN 8088880610</ref><ref></ref> Some of such authors have turned out to lack any degree in the field as well as having strong ties to political parties of the governing coalition in Slovakia.<ref name="Expres_Machala"> in Slovak</ref><ref> in Slovak</ref> Slovak political scientist ] claims that by adopting such scientifically questionable rhetoric Fico aims to "strengthen national consciousness by falsification of history".<ref></ref> Another political scientist, ] has encouraged accepting the common history of both nations by Slovaks as their own as well, instead of "replacing them with myths".<ref> in Slovak<br></ref> All arguments surrounding the topic of Slovak history and "national pride" have affected bilateral relations with Hungary at times when historical topics are concerned and also marred attempts at creating a common history book such as the one made by France and Germany.


== See also == ==See also==
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]


== References == ==References==
{{reflist|2}} {{reflist|2}}


== External links == ==External links==
* *
* *
* *


{{Foreign relations of Hungary}} {{Foreign relations of Hungary}}
{{Foreign relations of Slovakia}} {{Foreign relations of Slovakia}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hungary–Slovakia Relations}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hungary–Slovakia Relations}}
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Revision as of 13:32, 10 April 2010

Bilateral relations
Hungarian-Slovak relations
Map indicating locations of Hungary and Slovakia

Hungary
Slovakia

Hungary–Slovakia relations are the foreign relations between the Republic of Hungary and the Slovak Republic, two neighbouring countries in Central Europe. The countries established diplomatic relations in 1993, the year when Slovakia became independent of Czechoslovakia. Hungary has an embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia has an embassy in Budapest and a general consulate in Békéscsaba.

Both countries are full members of NATO and of the European Union. They share 676 kilometres (420 mi) of common borders. There are approximately 520,000 persons of Hungarian descent living in Slovakia (about 9.5% of its population) and around 17,000 persons of Slovak descent living in Hungary (about 0.17% of its population). There have been frequent if minor diplomatic conflicts between the two countries.

History

See also: Upper Hungary, Hungarians in Slovakia, History of Hungary, and History of Slovakia
Anachronistic pre-World War I language map, overlain with modern state borders.

Slavs arrived to the Western Carpathians in the 7th century. In the 9th century a part of, or all of the Western Carpathians belonged to Great Moravia, a Slavic state usually identified with Moravia and the Czech Republic. Hungarians are thought to have arrived in the late 9th century, and occupied the Carpathian Basin, including the western portions of Great Moravia (modern Slovakia).

The Czech National Revival in the neighbouring Austrian lands significantly affected Slovak national sentiment, and use of the Slovak language which was being encroached upon by nationally sanctioned dominance of Hungarian. Following World War I, areas designated by the Allied states (predominantly the United States, in accordance with Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points) as Slovak became part of the new state of Czechoslovakia, to which Hungary agreed in the Treaty of Trianon (1920). The arrangement left a Hungarian minority residing on the territory of Slovakia, analogous to the German minority in the Czech lands, and a much smaller Slovak minority in Hungary, who were forcefully assimilated. The Hungarian Soviet Republic subsequently attempted to invade Slovakia, but was defeated by a Czechoslovak-Romanian coalition.

During the World War II era, Nazi-allied Hungary regained some areas of Slovakia under the First Vienna Award of 1938. These territories were returned to Czechoslovakia when Hungary was defeated at the conclusion of World War II Treaty of Paris (with the exception of Carpathian Ruthenia which was annexed to the Soviet Union).

The controversy about the Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams

See also: Gabčíkovo – Nagymaros Dams
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2009)

The Malina controversy

Main article: Hedvig Malina

Hedvig Malina, a Hungarian student from Horné Mýto, Slovakia, made claims of being physically assaulted in a hate crime incident. Malina claims she was severely beaten and robbed on 25 August 2006 in Nitra after speaking Hungarian in public. She claims her attackers wrote "SK without parasites" (Template:Lang-sk), and "Hungarians to the other side of the Danube" (Template:Lang-sk) on her clothes. Upon investigation of the incident by Slovak Police, Malina was found to have made misleading statements to the police and has been charged with perjury. In December 2007, Slovak police released a video tape of the initial hearing to Malina's lawyers, who are now claiming irregularities in the way the interview had been conducted. Malina has taken her case to the European Court of Human Rights, challenging what she terms the "inhumane and humiliating" conduct of Slovak officials.

Confirmation of the Beneš decrees

In the summer of 2007, MKP has proposed a law that would grant compensation by "moral and financial means" for Hungarians harmed by the Beneš decrees of former Czechoslovakia. This compensation was to consist of a fund that would be available to the Hungarian community is Slovakia by various means. A similar fund exists to compensate the Germans and the Jews for the wrongdoings of 1939-47. Differences between the two cases exist, and it is claimed the analogy is weak. Hungarians were never expelled (as were the Germans), nor exterminated in death camps (as were the Jews). All ethnically Slovak members voted to confirm the decrees; Hungarian leaders voted against them. The then Hungarian President László Sólyom said the decision was unacceptable and that it would put a strain on Hungarian-Slovak relations.

Claims of Hungarian irredentism in Viktor Orbán speech

Hungarian opposition leader, chairman of Fidesz, Viktor Orbán delivered a (campaign) speech in Esztergom, Hungary on May 23, 2009, two weeks before the 2009 European elections, referring to unified political representation from the "Carpathian Basin", or the traditional area of the pre-WW1 Kingdom of Hungary, including areas of Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia and Austria. Slovakia and the other Carpathian states were alarmed by the insinuation of continued geopolitical integrity in the region, and condemned the move as revisionist and irredentist. The Slovak Parliament was called in an emergency session to discuss the issue.

Language laws

Slovak language law

Main article: Language law of Slovakia
Areas in Slovakia where Hungarian speakers make up at least 20%.

In 2009 the Slovak parliament passed a language law, mandating preferential use of the state language – Slovak. Use of a non-state language when conducting business could carry a financial penalty. Similar laws exist in many regions of the world, and the Slovak language law shares much in common with the Charter of the French Language of Quebec, Canada.

Opponents have described the law as one that "criminalises the use of Hungarian", however according to the Slovak government the law itself doesn't interfere with use of minority languages. According to OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebæk the language law complies with international law and Slovakia's international obligations. The Party of the Hungarian Coalition (MKP) asked the Slovak Government to release communication exchanged between them and Vollebæk so that the opinion of Vollebæk regarding the law could not be misrepresented or distorted. According to the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs the report was released unchanged and in full. Spokesman Peter Stano stated: "It is obvious that the Party of the Hungarian Coalition was unable to question the reliability of Vollebæk report, that law is following the legitimate goal and it's in accordance with all international norms."

Gordon Bajnai, the Hungarian Prime Minister, has charged Slovakia of scapegoating Hungarian speakers. Hungarian foreign minister Péter Balázs compared the creation of the language law to the politics of the Ceauşescu regime on the use of language. Hungarian newspaper Budapest Times has questioned the dual standards for use the Czech language in Slovakia, however this charge ignores the mutual intelligibility between Czech and Slovak, which render them compatible in business and law.

Hungarian language law

According to Slovak historian Ladislav Deák, during the communist rule in Hungary, most of the Slovak minority who didn't emigrate were stripped of their Slovak identity. Jenő Kaltenbach, Hungarian ex-ombudsman for national minorities, said that "minorities in Hungary, without exception, are on edge of abyss of their identity", "the national minorities were practically assimilated and action programs for them are just an illusion". He also said that the Hungarian minority language law is in category of "nice to hear, but full of unrealised law norms".

Komárno incident

Main article: 2009 ban of Hungarian President from Slovakia

In 2009 the Hungarian president, László Sólyom, planned a visit to the Slovak city of Komárno to unveil a statue commemorating a Hungarian monarch. The day of the visit coincided with a national Hungarian holiday commemorating the Hungarian Kingdom, as well as the date of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, of which Hungary was a participant. The Slovak government labelled the timing deliberate provocation, and questioned the president's refusal to meet with Slovak delegates. The Slovak government issued a one-day travel ban in response, and manned the bridge with policemen to prevent rioting.. Sólyom did not enter Slovakia. The government of Hungary called the ban "unfounded" and "unacceptable". Hungary plans to lodge a complaint with the EU, however, according to der Standard, the European Commission does not want to concern itself with the case.

Attack on the Slovak Embassy

Attack on the Embassy itself

On August 26, 2009, two Molotov cocktails were thrown at the Slovak embassy in Budapest, causing no casualties as the flammable fluids did not ignite or detonate. Authorities condemned the attack. The foreign ministry of Slovakia stated they view the incident with great concern, but at the same time "it is seen as an isolated criminal offence".

Attack on the Slovak ambassador

On August 27, 2009, one day following the armed attack on the embassy, a Hungarian driver attempted to run the diplomatic car of Peter Weiss off the road while driving in the Budapest traffic. Though the diplomatic vehicle remained on the road, the driver begun to verbally assault its occupants. The driver and his accomplices were stopped and it is now being investigated whether the outburst was connected to the Embassy attack. The Slovak government did not condemn the attack as a good-will gesture towards Hungary.

Fringe political statements

See also: Ján Slota

Following the Slovak parliamentary elections of 2006 the fringe Slovak National Party (SNS) became a small part of the governing coalition. Ján Slota, chairman of SNS is known for anti-Hungarian sentiment. Der Spiegel and various international media outlets have reported Slota as saying “The Hungarians are a cancer in the body of the Slovak nation.”

Historical revisionism

It has been alleged that Deputy PM Robert Fico has been engaging in historical revisionism in the government's update of the national curriculum. Slovak political scientist Miroslav Kusý claims that by adopting such scientifically questionable rhetoric Fico aims to "strengthen national consciousness by the falsification of history". It is not known whether this issue has affected relations between the states.

See also

References

  1. C.M. Breuning, Eleonore; Dr. Lewis, Jill; Pritchard, Gareth (2005). Power and the people: a social history of Central European politics, 1945-56. Manchester University Press. p. 146. ISBN 0719070694, 9780719070693. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  2. Hungary. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 03, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/276730/Hungary
  3. ^ http://www.exil.sk/?id=274&tree_id=99600
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  6. "Une étudiante met le feu aux poudres ("A student lights the smoking gun")" (in French). lepetitjournal.com. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
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  9. "Why were three policemen present at the hearing of Hedvig Malina?" (in Hungarian). Index. Retrieved 2008-02-12. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. "Video leaked out: what happened during the interrogation of Hedvig Malina?" (in Hungarian). Hírszerző. Retrieved 2008-02-12. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. KDH denies the correction of the wrongdoings of the Benes-decrees in Hungarian
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  13. Sólyom: Slovak decision unacceptable in Hungarian
  14. http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20090525-uszitasnak-tartja-fico-orban-kampanybeszedet.html
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  23. Kiakasztotta a szlovákokat Balázs Péter
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  28. Ladislav Deák: Poznámky k demografii Slovákov v Maďarsku.
  29. http://www.luno.hu/content/view/8631/55/
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  32. Hungarian president denied entry to Slovakia
  33. http://index.hu/belfold/2009/08/21/nem_ajanljak_a_szlovakok_solyomnak_hogy_revkomaromba_utazzon/
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  35. http://www.mti.hu/cikk/413776/
  36. http://derstandard.at/fs/1250691078076/EU-Reaktion-Ratsvorsitz-haelt-sich-zurueck
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  38. "President László Sólyom condemns the molotov cocktail attack of this night against the building of the Slovak Embassy in Budapest as categorically as possible". 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  39. http://www.tasr.sk/30.axd?k=20090826TBB00172
  40. "Slovenského veľvyslanca sa v Budapešti pokúsili vytlačiť z cesty" (in Slovak). SME. 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
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  42. "Separatist Movements Seek Inspiration in Kosovo". Der Spiegel. 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  43. Slovakia rejects Hungarian suggestions to tackle discriminatio
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  45. Slovakia and Hungary 'Dangerously Close to Playing with Fire'
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  47. Matica Slovenská cancels history textbook, Slovak Spectator, July 31, 1996
  48. MN Magyar Nemzet

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