a szlovákiai magyarok kerekasztalának levele knut vollebaeknek, az ebesz kisebbségi...

8/4/2019 A Szlovákiai Magyarok Kerekasztalának levele Knut Vollebaeknek, az EBESZ kisebbségi főbiztosának

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Parková 4, 931 01 Šamorín, Slovenská republikaTel.:+421-31- 590 27 90Fax: +421-31- 560 27 12E-mail: [email protected]: www.auxilium.sk, www.jogsegely.sk

H. E. Knut VollebaekOSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities The Hague

Šamorín/ Somorja, 25 May 2010

Dear Mr High Commissioner!

I write you to protest, on behalf of the Round Table of Hungarians in Slovakia,against the measures the Slovak Government of Mr Fico is planning to enactagainst their own non-Slovak citizens.

The stigma of collective guilt of so called Beneš Decrees has not yet been liftedfrom the Hungarians in Slovakia, on the contrary, the National Council of theSlovak Republic confirmed the validity of the decrees three years ago in adeclaration. Now, in the 21st century, in the European Union, the Slovak statewould like to adopt a modern version of the Beneš Decrees. Once again, itwishes to do so without even asking the members of the Hungarian minorityabout their opinion, without consulting them a legislation that is planned tohave direct effect on their lives, thus violating its obligations under theConstitution and the Framework Convention. Moreover, it wishes to do that as areaction to a still non-existing Hungarian legislation, the aim of which is totarget the ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia only in the very last instance. (Aimingprimarily at ethnic Hungarians in non-member states of the EU, or notmembers of the Schengen Area.)

We do not want to always be objects of history, objects of power games of irresponsible politicians. We are not objects, we are living human beings whohave their own aspirations and dignity. Human rights, dignity and justice areterms which some members of the Slovak governing coalition are obviously notvery familiar with. You just should observe their election campaign or how theauthorities and most politicians reacted to the first Slovakian gay and lesbianparade in Bratislava. We really do not want to be the whipping boys of theSlovak populists and nationalists any longer.

We, in the Round Table have done in the past year our best to start aconstructive dialogue with the Government on issues concerning the Hungarian

minority. However, the Government has shown very little interest in such adialogue. We initiated a series of consultations on our proposal on thecomprehensive solution of the issue of the status and rights of the national

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minorities, whose main ideas have subsequently been supported also by

representatives of the Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, German and Roma nationalgroups. (You have got both documents.) We only had one meeting with theDeputy Prime Minister Čaplovič, but he said that most issues are beyond hiscompetence. Minister Maďarič did not even bother to answer our letter,Minister Mikolaj´s opinion is that the main problem of the ethnic Hungarianpupils lies in the fact that they think Hungarian (!). We met Minister Lajčák afortnight ago, but I lost my hope in that it is possible to lead a constructivedialogue with the MFA, either.

The Slovak state is concerned about the „identity” of Magyars in Slovakiabecause of the Hungarian law. Why do not the Slovak ruling elite care about

the identity and well-being of the Magyar minority themselves? The (complete)Slovak political elite´s rhetoric and deeds are about „defending nation-stateinterests”, about „the state-forming Slovak nation”, about „loyal and non-loyalminorities”, making thus a clear differentiation between the (ethnic) Slovaksand all the others. Why do not they speak about defending all citizens´interests, about the interests of the state-forming people (= all citizens)? Whydid they adopt a language law, according to which one of the basic humanrights – freedom of expression – means freedom of expression in the „state”language (this is not a joke, this a ruling of the Slovak Constitutional Court)?Why do they adopt legislations on patriotism, according to which „patriotism”means a positive tie to the Slovak (ethnic) nation solely? Why do not theyactively promote the preservation and development of the national minorities´identity? These are questions that need to be resolved in a process of acontinuous, but institutionalised dialogue.

Unfortunately, the dialogue how the Slovak ruling elite understands it, lookslike this: meeting selected representatives of minorities occasionally and proforma, without taking up any concrete commitments, accepting no proposals orideas submitted by the minorities, and then describing these occasionalmeetings as „substantial consultations” with them. We are not interested insuch a dialogue any longer and do not want to pretend that there is dialogue.

There is no dialogue, and this is very annoying.

Next week the Plenary Session of the cca 50 institutions and organisations of the Round Table will meet to outline a new strategy for the future.

Sincerely,

Kálmán Petőczon behalf of the Round Table







a szlovákiai magyarok kerekasztalának levele knut vollebaeknek, az ebesz kisebbségi...

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