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Fico Not Ruling Out Changes to Constitution vis-a-vis Dual Citizenship
Friday 14 May 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, May 14 (TASR) - Commenting on Slovakia's response to Hungary's plans to adopt an amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act, Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday didn't rule out the possibility that one of his ministers might submit a legislative proposal similar to one valid in the Czech Republic that would serve as a counter-measure.
"This is a very serious matter, interfering in our internal affairs, so we have to respond in a measuredly harsh way," said Fico.
The Czech legislation he was referring to contains provisions under which Czech citizens lose Czech citizenship if they decide to acquire the citizenship of another country. This doesn't apply to cases in which the second citizenship is acquired via marriage or at birth.
Fico noted that such legislation requires an amendment to the Slovak Constitution. "But the Constitution is amenable. Our partners in the Hungarian Parliament need to know that there will be repercussions," he said.
Education Minister Jan Mikolaj (Slovak National Party/SNS) later confirmed for TASR that if the dual-citizenship amendment is passed in the Hungarian Parliament, Slovakia will indeed prepare the kind of proposal mentioned by Fico.
The Slovak Cabinet at its extraordinary session on Friday adopted a resolution in which it condemned the Hungarian decision to pass the aforementioned law without consultations, as the legislation would effect other countries and could pose some real security threats to Slovakia. This obliged Fico to convene the Slovak Security Council.
At the same time, the Government ordered the ministers of foreign affairs, interior, defence and justice to draw up quickly an analysis concerning security risks resulting from the law.
Also, in view of these unilateral steps taken by Hungary, Slovakia will turn to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek, asking him to assess the situation. In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak will inform ambassadors of EU and NATO member states serving in Slovakia of the country's stance, and will ask the Venice Commission to carry out a legal examination of the amendment.
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