Hungarian citizenship law enrages Slovaks
13.05.10 - Irish Times
DANIEL McLAUGHLIN in Budapest
SLOVAKIA HAS recalled its ambassador to Budapest over its plans to help ethnic Hungarians living abroad to acquire citizenship.
The neighbouring states regularly clash over Slovakia’s treatment of ethnic Hungarians who comprise roughly 10 per cent of its 5.4 million population. Budapest protests against alleged discrimination and Bratislava complains about provocative actions by Hungarian nationalists.
Relations have been strained in recent months, after Slovakia banned the use of Hungarian in public offices. The ultra-nationalist Jobbik group polled strongly in Hungarian elections that were won by the centre-right Fidesz party, which has its own nationalist streak.
There has been fiery rhetoric from Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico and from the leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS), Jan Slota, his coalition partner, as they seek to boost their reputations as “patriotic” politicians before next month’s election.