Hungarian Association Raises Concerns Over Slovak Language Law Amendment

View of the Esztergom Basilica from the Slovak Side of the Danube.

The much-discussed draft amendment to Slovakia’s State Language Law has raised concerns, particularly among the Hungarian minority. Their part, the Hungarian Association, expressed disappointment at the draft, which they argue could significantly restrict the use of minority languages, reports Ma7.

The law, they claim, does not aim to clarify ambiguous wording, as suggested by the Ministry, but instead introduces measures that could undermine the language rights of national minorities, including Hungarians in Slovakia.

Head of the Hungarian Association, László Gubík, emphasized the potential harm:

we fear this unnecessary amendment could revive the harmful reflexes of the 1990s.”

He called for a halt to any changes that might harm language rights, stressing that the issue should not be manipulated for political gain, particularly as one faction of a declining government party plays the Hungarian card, which is an allusion to the Slovak National Party (SNS).

A Magyar Szövetség Čajak utcai székházának postaládájába is befújta a szél az államnyelvtörvény sokak által emlegetett…

Közzétette: Magyar Szövetség – 2024. november 5., kedd

The Hungarian Association has already voiced concerns about the draft, urging against legal measures that could aggravate cultural and linguistic tensions. They argue that the strengthening of the state language should not come at the expense of minority languages.

The Hungarian Association’s statement asserts that languages used in Slovakia should have equal rights, a position supported by experts who advocate for cultural solutions over legal measures.

The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson, meanwhile, noted that Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó will engage in discussions with Slovak officials next week. He will meet with Slovak Parliament Speaker Peter Ziga in Bratislava and Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár in Budapest, with the aim of addressing the draft’s implications for minority communities.

Fact

The Hungarian minority in Slovakia numbers around 450,000, making up about 8.5% of the population. Currently, the Slovak government is led by the SMER-SSD party in coalition with HLAS and the Slovak National Party (SNS). The Hungarian minority has limited political representation, with most ethnic Hungarians formerly aligning with parties like Most–Híd or SMK, although neither currently holds seats in parliament.

Ensuring Minority Language Protections in Light of Slovak Language Law Amendments