Most-Híd chairman Béla Bugár said on April 1 that it would be pointless and inappropriate to summon an extraordinary session of Slovakia’s parliament to discuss statements made by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the TASR newswire reported.
Smer, Slovakia’s main opposition party, has requested a special parliamentary session to debate Orbán's recent proposals that the new Hungarian Constitution, currently being discussed in the Hungarian parliament, should give ethnic Hungarians living in other countries the right to vote in Hungarian elections. Smer leader Robert Fico said he expects Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová to state what her government intends to do in response.
"The Opposition, and mainly Smer, is misusing any issue it can in order to engage in scaremongering," said Bugár, adding that despite Orbán's statements it still isn't clear what Hungary is planning to do. "We don't want to and can't be held hostage to the actions of Hungarian representatives," said Bugár.
Most-Híd is not in contact with Budapest, Fidesz [Orbán’s political party] or Orbán, said Rudolf Chmel, Most-Hid’s vice-chairman and Deputy Prime Minister for Minorities, in parliament. Chmel recommended that critics of laws submitted to parliament by Most-Híd should not mention Orbán, Fidesz or Budapest in connection with the party.
Radičová's government faced criticism in parliament last week regarding its alleged passivity vis-a-vis Orbán's legislative intention, as well as due to its amendment dealing with the use of minority languages in Slovakia. The opposition stated the reason for the governing coalition's passivity is because it includes Most-Híd.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
4. Apr 2011 at 14:00
