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SDKU-DS: Nothing to Worry About, Slovakia is Strong Enough
Thursday 13 May 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Representatives of the Opposition party SDKU-DS stand convinced that Slovakia will enjoy a measure of protection against the Hungarian law on dual citizenship, as was the case with the Hungarian Status Act, SDKU-DS Chairman Mikulas Dzurinda said at a press conference on Thursday.
[Dzurinda was referring to legislation in effect in Hungary as of 2002 that entitled Hungarians who are citizens of neighbouring countries to benefits in employment, travel, education and other areas. Slovakia has always been objecting that its provisions are extraterritorial and discriminatory, and that it had been approved against the will of Slovakia, which is a violation of international law. The relevant international bodies agreed with Dzurinda's interpretation and the initiative more or less petered out. - ed. note]
Dzurinda thinks that there's no need to feel threatened, because Slovakia is strong enough to handle this provocation.
He emphasised that Slovakia will only be subject to laws passed or endorsed by the Slovak Parliament. "Premier Robert Fico should immediately contact his Hungarian counterpart and exercise the instruments of the fundamental treaty between Hungary and Slovakia. Such laws as this one don't happen to pop up on a whim, they emerge only after comprehensive bilateral consultations," said Dzurinda.
SDKU-DS is preparing its own course of action in the matter, the details of which will be specified after Hungary publishes the full text of the law on dual citizenship. However, SDKU-DS election leader Iveta Radicova said that there's nothing to worry about. "This is just another attempt to play the so-called Hungarian card in order to divert attention away from their (Hungary's) domestic problems," she added.
SDKU-DS will attend the extraordinary parliamentary session, if one is convened. "Of course we'll come, we're not like them," said Radicova, referring to Coalition MPs (who failed to show up for the two attempts to debate the financial aid package to Greece on Wednesday).
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