In a vote of 82 with no rejections, the National Council of the Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) decided to continue its participation in the ruling government on condition that the Slovak Parliament adopt a law on devolving central powers to local administrations by September 30. Giving coalition parties an opportunity to amend the public administration law [see report of July 4, 2001], HCP expects that the law seeking to implement the public administration reforms will include granting authority to self-governments and transferring adequate financial sources in the form indicated originally in the government program. After the Council's meeting, HCP President Béla Bugár said that his party has offered its coalition partners a final opportunity to carry out reforms in preparation for Slovakia’s EU and NATO memberships. [HTMH Observer (Budapest) August 29, 2001]

According to a survey conducted by the Slovak-language daily Sme, of all nationalities in Slovakia, the ethnic Hungarian community supports Slovakia's EU membership most ardently with a near two-thirds endorsement. Among other political parties, 42 percent of the supporters of the Vladimír Meciar-led Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, and 56 percent of those of the Slovak National Party, supports the country's EU accession. [Sme (Bratislava/Pozsony), August 22, 2001]

In a letter, 40 leading ethnic Slovak intellectuals called on the Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) to stay in the government coalition, pointing out that all ruling coalition parties bear enormous responsibility toward the country's population. Following the adoption of the local public administration law [see report of July 4. 2001], HCP suspended its participation in the government for its failure to endorse the bill that would have reversed the discriminatory effects established by Vladimír Meciar’s 1996 redistricting of the country. While signatories of the letter expressed regret that the Slovak coalition partners rejected HCP's aspirations, but “for the democratic future of Slovakia” they asked the ethnic Hungarian leaders “to find a way to remain in the government.” [Sme (Bratislava/Pozsony), August 16, 2001]