February 1999
Following at meeting of parliamentary members and experts in Nové Zamky/Érsekújvár, the extremist Slovak National Party issued a position paper stating that it opposes Slovakia's ratification of the European Charter on Self-Government as well as transfer of unclaimed lands to local self-governments rather than the central one [See report of Feb. 17]. The reason given was that strengthening of local government would only empower so-called Hungarian minority efforts at autonomy. [Fórum Institute (Galanta/Galánta), Feb. 28, 1999]
The Minority Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture called together its 19-member consultative committee — consisting of representatives from ethnic groups and civic organizations — to discuss distribution of the 50 million Crowns [see report of Feb. 24] allocated for minority culture. The committee has three subcommittees: press, book publishing and cultural event. The body has five Hungarian, three Roma, two Czech, and one each Ukrainian, Ruthenian, German, Croatian, Bulgarian, Polish, Jewish, Moravian and Russian members. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 26, 1999]
Two ethnic Hungarian government members, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of minorities and regional development Pál Csáky and Minister of Construction István Harna, abstained from voting for the 1999 state budget during a cabinet meeting because they were disappointed by the proposed 54.7 million Slovak Crown subsidy for minority cultures. Even though the government augmented the original 34.7 million with an additional 20 million Crowns, the 1999 state subsidy for minority cultures barely exceeds last year’s 50 million Crown — an amount granted by Vladimír Meciar’s regime. The Hungarian Coalition Party maintains that it will endorse the 1999 state budget only if support for minority cultures reaches at least the 1994 level of 140 million Slovak Crowns, which would be the equivalent of 250 million Crowns today, accounting for inflation [see report of February 4]. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 24, 1999]
Regarding the Bill on National Minority Languages scheduled for government debate, its drafter, Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) parliamentary deputy Lajos Mészáros, stated to Új Szó that he used the minority bill originally prepared in 1995, the European Charter on National Minorities or Regional Languages and the Framework Convention on National Minorities as the basis of the document. The deputy emphasized the need for a detailed bill over a vaguely-worded charter, as prepared by Lubomír Fogas head of the government’s Legislative Department, since the 1995 Law on the State Language severely restricted the use of minority languages. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 24, 1999]
Considering the State Language Law to be unconstitutional, the local council of Krásno-horské Podhradie/Krasznahorkaváralja adopted a resolution allowing use of the Hungarian language at its meetings, in the public administration office and broadcasts over the city's PA system. While ethnic Hungarian Mayor István Szarka, who did not support the resolution, says it was never forbidden to speak in Hungarian in administrative offices, the Hungarian members of the council want a local directive to regulate the matter. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 24, 1999]
The presidents of the four-party governing coalition, along with Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, reaffirmed their allegiance to the government program, hopefully dissipating tensions between Minister of Agriculture Pavel Koncos and the Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) [see report of Feb. 9]. Another source of stress is the Minister’s objection to the HCP-contributed section of the government program stipulating that all unclaimed lands become the property of local self-governments rather than the central one. [Fórum Institute (Galanta/Galánta), Feb. 17, 1999]
Slovak National Party deputy Eva Slavkovská rejected the Bill on National Minority Languages, saying that current legal norms are sufficient for minorities. If citizens want to use their native-language in public administration, they should pay for the interpreter, maintains Slavkovská. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 15, 1999]
The National Council of the Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) decided that the government’s planned 34.7 million Slovak Crowns subsidy for minority cultures is unacceptable. HCP President Béla Bugár said his party is considering to voting against the 1999 state budget since the government program stipulates reasonable support for minority cultures. Until 1994, 140 million Crowns were allocated for minority cultures, but that figure was drastically cut to 50 million Crowns by the Vladimír Meciar-led government. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 15, 1999]
Museum and other experts will convene at the Fórum Institute in Galanta/Galánta, along with Gabriella Jarábik, head of the nationalities department at the Ministry of Culture, to discuss various options for preserving the Hungarian minority's heritage. The possibility of establishing a museum devoted exclusively to this community, either in Komarno/Rév-Komárom or Rimavská Sobota/Rimaszombat, as well as creating and expanding a network of specialized centers within existent museums will both be considered. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 4, 8 and 11, 1999]
Stefan Prónay, who was appointed on February 1 as head of the Education Department of the Nitra/Nyitra District Office, told reporters that he inherited several uncompleted projects, intimidated school principals and a 70 million Slovak Crown deficit from his predecessor, Ruena Smatanová,. Among his first steps, the new director appointed a principal for the Sahy/Ipolyság Hungarian-language high school — a post vacant for seven months. Prónay promised to reorganize the department’s work, establish a superintendent division to maintain contact with schools and end the current disorder. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 12, 1999]
Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Minorities and Regional Development Pál Csáky was appointed to head the Government Council on Minority Affairs. The cabinet also appointed Vincent Danihel Special Rapporteur for Roma Affairs. [see reports of Dec. 15, 1998]. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 11, 1999]
The Kosice/Kassa-based Legal Aid Office for the Protection of Ethnic Groups in Slovakia, which has a specific focus on the Roma population [see report of Jan. 20], issued a white book covering 50 cases of skinhead misdemeanors, deliberate acts of discrimination on the part of civil servants and questionable police methods. The report finds skinhead actions to be particularly dangerous since among the former Soviet-bloc countries these groups are the best organized and most popular in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. A few of the documented cases are currently before the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 10,1999]
Minister of Agriculture Pavel Koncos raised objection to the Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) appointing the chairman of the board of the State Land Fund. According to the agreement between the coalition parties, this post falls to the HCP since it relinquished presidency of the Fund. Minister Koncos however said that he would not tolerate the parties’ interference into personnel matters and, at one point, threatened to resign. [Fórum Institute (Galanta/Galánta), Feb. 10 and Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 10, 1999]
The first sub-committee of the Parliament’s Human and Minority Rights Committee was formed — one addressing Roma concerns. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 10, 1999]
The Slovak-Hungarian Joint Committee met for the first time since the two countries signed a bilateral agreement in 1995. Previously, the Meciar government had not been willing to include legitimate representatives of Slovakia’s Hungarian minority in the committee. The Slovak delegation consisted of Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Minorities and Regional Development Pál Csáky, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Ján Figel, Hungarian Coalition Party parliamentary representative Árpád Duka-Zolyomi and Komarno/Rév-Komárom Mayor István Pásztor. The concluding document included establishing satellites of Hungarian colleges in Komarno and Královsky Chlmec/Királyhelmec as well as a Hungarian consulate in Kosice/Kassa though no specific timelines were given. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 3, 1999]
The Hungarian Coalition Party (HCP) cannot accept the 1999 state subsidy for minority cultures as the figure does not even exceed last year’s 50 million Slovak Crowns — the amount granted by the previous government of Vladimír Meciar — said HCP Vice President László Gyurkovszky. Until 1994, 140 million Crowns were allocated for minority cultures which would be the equivalent of 250 million Crowns today, accounting for inflation. Since the annual budget of the Ministry of Culture was not reduced to its third, the financial curtailment of minority cultures seems unjustified. Gyurkovszky further said that his party insists that state support for minority cultures remain at least on the 1994 level, otherwise an amendment to the 1999 state budget will be necessary. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 4, 1999]
According to László Berta Kis, vice principal of the Velklé Kapusany/Nagykapos Hungarian-language elementary school, the fact that they'll begin the 99/00 school with three, as opposed to the usual four, first grade classes is a combination of decrease in births and lack of a Hungarian-language nursery school. The situation is much worse in the predominately Hungarian-inhabited Královsky Chlmec/Királyhelmec, according to that city's Hungarian-language school principal, Géza Szunyog. The community's sole Hungarian-language nursery is not able to accommodate all applicants and therefore parents have to enroll their children in Slovak-language nurseries. This , in turn, impacts on the number of children beginning their studies in Hungarian, which will be 30-35 pupils, enough merely for one class. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 4, 1999]
In an interview with the Hungarian-language daily Új Szó, Zoltán Pék, editor-in-chief of Hungarian-language programming on Slovak Television, spoke about problems faced by the department. The previous government had dismissed three of the program's four editors and reduced its airtime from one hour a week to 15 minutes. While the new leadership reinstated the former colleagues, it has yet to fulfill the promise of daily broadcasts beginning January 1999. IN fact, the program has aired only twice during the first quarter of the year. Pék has advocated for 30 minutes a week airtime, at the highest level, to no avail. Although a Council of Nationality Programs on Slovak Television with two ethnic Hungarian members was formed in Kosice/Kassa, alongside the television's main advisory council, and it has not yet played a constructive role, according to Pék. For example, at its January 22 meeting, the Council recommended that 14 programs of 30 minutes each be broadcast for the entire year. While the Hungarian program has managed to retain its editorial freedom, plans exist to combine the German, Czech, Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Roma and Jewish language-programs into one department in Kosice, to be headed, moreover, by an ethnic Slovak. Pék says it remains to be seen whether Deputy Prime Minister in charge of minorities and regional development Pál Csáky’s promise to schedule a daily Hungarian-language news summary, in addition to half-an-hour on Tuesdays (for politics and economics) and Fridays (for culture and religion) beginning April 1, will be kept. Under the current structure, the Hungarian program is entitled to the same amount of airtime as other, smaller minorities. Not only is this totally inadequate, but according to the Framework Convention on National Minorities, a community of this size should be broadcasting 17 hours weekly. Pék has also received promises that the number of coworkers will be increased to five. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 3, 1999]
The government renewed its media council, revoking chairmanship from former Minister of Culture Ivan Hudec and appointing the current minister. The council now also includes Mrs. Edit Kovács Slezák, Director of the Vox Nova Corporation, publisher of the Hungarian-language daily, Új Szó. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 4, 1999]
The parties in the government coalition began deliberating the Bill on Minority Languages which should be adopted by the Parliament in June 1999 [see reports of Jan. 11, 21 and 27]. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 3, 1999]
József Csütörtök was named acting director of the Museum Along the Danube after having been dismissed three years ago from the post by the Meciar government. [Új Szó (Bratislava/Pozsony), Feb. 4, 1999]