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Orban Declares Support for SMK at Meeting with Csaky in Esztergom
Thursday 10 June 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Esztergom, Hungary, June 10 (TASR) - Hungarian Civic Union (FIDESZ) Chairman and PM Viktor Orban on Thursday declared his support for the parliamentary Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) in Slovakia's imminent election, highlighting his ever-widening rift from SMK splinter group Most-Hid, which also claims to represent Hungarians in Slovakia but has stronger pro-integration leanings.
"Orban expressed support for SMK as both chairman of Fidesz and deputy chairman of the European People's Party (EPP)," said SMK chairman Pal Csaky after a meeting with Orban and Deputy Premier Zsolt Semjen, leader of Christian Democratic People's Party in Esztergom (which lies across the Danube River from Sturovo in Nitra region).
The meeting was held at the request of Orban to discuss issues such as a law on state citizenship adopted earlier this year by Hungary easing conditions for Hungarians living in neighboring country to acquire dual citizenship.
Asked why the new Hungarian government is holding talks with SMK instead of Most-Hid, Csaky said the question misses the point. "They (Most-Hid) are not a Hungarian party. We are part of the EPP (European People's Party) and have been a partner of Fidesz (for many years)," he said.
"We can move forward if Hungarians in Slovakia will vote ... It is now up to Hungarians from Felvidek (historical Hungarian name for Slovakia) to cast their vote in favour of SMK," said Semjen, who echoed Csaky's sentiment that Most-Hid has never been a Hungarian party because and that only SMK has declared itself as such.
In the latest opinion poll, SMK scored 5 percent public support versus compared with 6.2 percent for Most-Hid.
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