BRATISLAVA, March 30, (WEBNOVINY) – Hungarian claims for minority rights can not be satisfied as they have practically no limits, says opposition SMER-SD Vice Chairman and ex-culture minister Marek Madaric. “We are witnessing fulfillment of a policy that will never consider the state of Hungarian rights balanced. When one demand is fulfilled, several others immediately arise,” said Madaric in parliament during discussion on the draft amendment to the law on minority languages on Wednesday.
Madaric thinks that it is illogical to discuss the draft at the present time, only several months before the new statistics on minorities will be known after the May census. “This is not only illogical, but also suspicious not to wait for the records that will reflect the real state of society,” Madaric blamed the Cabinet vice chairman for human rights and national minorities Rudolf Chmel, who submitted the draft.
The former minister of culture pointed out that the Hungarian minority in Slovakia has a complete educational system, including a university. He underlined that Slovakia is the only country except Hungary where it is possible to study university in Hungarian free of charge. Madaric thinks that the Slovak language is being ousted from the position of the official language, as the draft suggests omitting a provision of the current law stating that the documents and forms are provided to the citizens foremost in the state language. He also warns that Slovaks will be discriminated against, due to the need to cope with the obligation to speak a minority language; their speakers will be preferred to Slovak candidates for jobs in public administration in mixed-language territories.
Marek Madaric is convinced that the amendment not only exceeds the obligations based on the Regional and Minority Languages Charter, but is also destructive of Slovak statehood. “Do not close minorities in a language ghetto, do not discriminate against Slovaks in their own state,” appealed Madaric to MPs, suggesting that parliament not continue to discuss the draft.
SNS Chairman Jan Slota expressed the same wish, claiming that the demands of Most-Hid are gradually annexing southern Slovakia to Hungary.
SITA