The official local election results reveal that mayoral candidates running on an independent ticket won the most votes, followed by the Slovak Democratic Convention, Party of the Democratic Left, the Hungarian Coalition Party, the Christian Democratic Movement and the Slovak National Party. As regards the number of local council seats, the most votes were secured by the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, the Party of the Democratic Left, the Christian Democratic Movement, the Hungarian Coalition Party and independent candidates. [Fórum Institute (Dunajská Streda/Dunaszerdahely), Dec. 22, 1998]
During his visit to Slovakia, Walter Schwimmer, Austria’s prospective candidate for Secretary General of the Council of Europe following Daniel Tarschy's August 31, 1999 resignation (and former Council rapporteur for Slovakia), appraised the new cabinet and voiced hope for the country’s early EU membership. In gathering support for his candidacy, Schwimmer emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation among European organizations and equal treatment of member states. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 22, 1998]
While official results are due tomorrow, Interior Ministry State Secretary Ivan Budiak announced some preliminary data on the local elections, namely, that participation was 53.94 percent, or 1.5 percent higher than four years ago. The Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) won 224 mayoral seats singularly, and a further 17 in coalition. The HKP also gained 3,767 local council seats. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony) and Népszava (Budapest), Dec. 22, 1998]
The presidium of the Hungarian Coalition Party debated its Bill on National Minority Languages, prepared originally in 1995 and subsequently updated as Slovakia ratified newer international legal instruments such as the European Charter on Minority or Regional Languages and the Framework Convention on National Minorities. Taking into consideration less populous minority communities, the bill lowers the population threshold for bilingualism to 10 percent, and, for example, addresses the issue of free interpreter services in public administration and native-language use before the Parliament and Constitutional Court. The Hungarian Coalition Party plans to consult with other party faction leaders by January 8, and submit the bill to its coalition partners by January 20, 1999. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 22, 1998]
Local elections in Slovakia concluded December 19 with the governing coalition maintaining its position by securing six of the eight county capitols, including the country's two largest cities, Bratislava/Pozsony and Kosice/Kassa. No major infractions were reported - most of the 54 complaints received by the Central Election Board pertained to campaigning. With an estimated turnout of less than 52 percent, voting was highest in the countryside, especially in smaller localities. The capitol's mayor will be former prime minister Jozef Moravcik. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 21, 1998]
Local elections began at 2 p.m. in 2,912 localities around Slovakia with 5,894 polling sites, and will continue until 10 p.m. Citizens can also cast their ballots tomorrow, Saturday, December 19 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 18, 1998]
"If law regulates the use of state-language then law must regulate the use of native-languages in public administration as well," stated OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Max van der Stoel in the second-day of his visit to Slovakia. The commissioner agreed that in communities of over 20 percent minority population, the native-language use must be allowed in public offices. Max van der Stoel praised the new Slovak government for making important progress in the protection of minorities, mentioning the reinstatement of bilingual report cards, the preparation of a minority language bill and the planned ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. After meeting with Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and Deputy Prime Minister in charge of minority affairs and regional development Pál Csáky, the commissioner said that OSCE, the European Commission and the Council of Europe's established a joint committee more than a year ago to help Slovak experts prepare the minority language legislation. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 16, 1998; Magyar Hírlap (Budapest), Dec. 16, 1998]
Új Szó, the only Hungarian-language daily in Slovakia, celebrated 50 years of publishing. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 15, 1998]
During his three-day visit to Slovakia, OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Max van der Stoel met Pál Csáky, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of minority affairs and regional development, and discussed ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the endorsement of a minority-language law, bilingual report cards, the reinstatement of two ethnic Hungarian principals who were forcefully removed from their post in March and the Roma question. "The High Commissioner assessed the Hungarian Coalition Party’s participation in the Dzurinda government, the changes made in the legal status of minorities and the government program’s relevant clauses as very positive," stated Pál Csáky, pointing out that the minority-language law must be adopted by April if Slovakia wants a positive country report from the European Union. Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights and Minority Affairs László Á. Nagy stated that the special rapporteur on Roma issues to be appointed must be an ethnic Roma. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 15, 1998]
Jaroslav Ivor, Chief Commander of Police, called it feasible for prosecution to begin in January for the 1995 kidnapping of former President Michal Kovac’s son and the boycotted referendum on presidential elections and NATO. Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda’s recent move to abolish the controversial amnesty granted by former Premier Vladimír Meciar last March [see report of December 8] opened the way to set up an investigation committee, collecting evidence and holding hearings, said the chief of police. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 15, 1998]
Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and Kosice/Kassa Archbishop Alojz Tkac discussed state support for religious schools and the establishment of a Catholic university in Kosice. The premier said the government is open to the issue of religious educational institutions. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 15, 1998]
Anna Hecht will be replace Zoltán Sidó as acting president of the Hungarian Teachers Association of Slovakia until the organization's May 1999 congress. Sidó has taken a leave of absence. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 18, 1998]
December 10, 1998 - Human Rights Day
Minister of Culture Milan Koacko appointed Gabriella Jarábik head of the ministry's newly-established Department of Minorities. Jarábik sees securing legislative guarantees for the support of minority culture as her foremost mandate. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 16, 1998]
The Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights and Minority Affairs will focus on Roma, ethnic Hungarians and human rights, stated Committee Chairman László Á. Nagy during the Democratic Party’s press conference. The chair called for preventive actions to halt the Roma population’s westward migration and remove discriminatory measures against them in Slovakia’s eastern cities. Regarding the ethnic Hungarian community, Á. Nagy emphasized the need to prepare the legal ground for issuing bilingual report cards in minority schools by January and adopting a minority-language law. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 11, 1998]
Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda revoked the controversial amnesty granted in March by former premier Vladimír Meciar, blocking legal actions in the 1995 kidnapping of former President Michal Kovac’s son and in the thwarted referendum on presidential elections and NATO in May 1997[see report of March 4]. Dzurinda voiced hope that the criminals will stand trial for their actions. [Fórum Institute (Dunajská Streda/Dunaszerdahely), Dec. 8, 1998]
In an effort to take measures in resolving the Roma population’s concerns, Deputy Premier in charge of minority affairs and regional development Pál Csáky met leaders of major Roma organizations in Kosice/Kassa. Currently 58 Roma organizations are registered in Slovakia. Csáky said the government does not accept any form of intolerance and recalled the resolution removing mention of a criminal’s nationality from police records. The deputy premier also pointed out that Interior Minister Ladislav Pittner has an advisor for Roma affairs and will also appoint a special rapporteur. In addition, Csáky pledged to appeal to European Union bodies for financial assistance to the Roma community. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 11, 1998]
Deputy Prime Minister Pál Csáky received Pavel Traubner, Chairman of the Association of Slovak Jewish Communities to discuss, among others, the restitution for Holocaust survivors. Csáky said the government planned to restore Slovakia’s 600 Jewish cemeteries and renovate old synagogues. In response, the Jewish leader voiced the need for both moral and financial compensation, emphasizing the need to adopt a law on the restitution of Holocaust victims. The meeting was the first in a serious of discussion between the government and religious communities. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 7, 1998]
The Hungarian-language program of Slovak Radio celebrated 70 years of broadcasting at its Bratislava/Pozsony headquarters in conjunction with a special broadcast. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 7, 1998]
Newly-appointed (ethnic Hungarian) Superintendent of Komarno/Komárom School District Margit Keszegh will reinstall today the two ethnic Hungarian school principals in Vojnice/Bátorkeszi and Buc/Búcs who were forcefully removed from their posts on March 17 [see report of March 17, 1998]. Deputy Prime Minister Pál Csáky will also attend the event and said he would offer part of his October salary to the principals as compensation. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 4, 1998]
Newly appointed (ethnic Hungarian) head of the Levice/Léva County Office Pál Zachar dismissed 14 officials, among them, leaders of the educational, cultural, social, financial, regional development, transportation, environmental, public administration, housing and business departments. Citing that the officials had been closely allied with the Meciar regime, Zachar said that the positions would now be advertised with skill and competence to determine eligibility for the jobs. Zachar was preciously deputy mayor of Sahy/Ipolyság. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 11, 1998]
In a press conference, Peter Missik, the new Superintendent of Nitra/Nyitra School District, revealed that soon after appointing ethnic Hungarian Dénes Száraz as deputy superintendent the latter resigned on account of being physically threatened. "An unknown person called my father and said in Slovak that if I accept the position my family will pay for it because Pribina [a city] cannot have an ethnic Hungarian deputy superintendent," told Száraz to the Új Szó. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Dec. 4, 1998]
Parliament voted 88-50 in favor of the new government’s program. Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda pledged to implement vital economic reforms and focus on the country’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic structure. [Omri Daily Digest (Prague), Dec. 3, 1998]
The government decided to submit an amendment to the Law on Education on bilingual report cards for urgent parliamentary consideration [See report of November 30, 1998]. If Parliament decides to endorse the motion, it should enable schools to issuing bilingual documents, including the recording of all school documents also in Hungarian, by January 1999. The previous government led by Vladimír Meciar banned the issuing of bilingual report cards in January 1997, abolishing a 76 year-old tradition. [Magyar Nemzet (Budapest), Dec. 4, 1998]