Dear editor,
I would like to react as follows to the editorial 'Hungarian wake-up call for EU referendum organisers' [April 21 - 27, Vol 9, No 15].
I agree with the title of the editorial. However, I would like to correct a few factual errors. The TV (and radio) spot mentioned do not feature Mr van der Linden, head of the delegation of the European Commission in Slovakia. The man speaking in halting Slovak is Jan Marinus Wiersma, MEP, the European Parliament's reporter for Slovakia. Moreover, he is not saying that Slovakia should join the EU. That would indeed be inappropriate for a foreigner. Instead, he is encouraging Slovaks to make their own decision by participating in the referendum on May 16-17. Your leader writer implies that the spot is part of the government's referendum campaign. That is not correct; it hasn't even started yet. This spot (and another four) is part of the EC delegation's modest supplementary campaign, launched on April 4.
Kind regards,
Onno Simons
Counsellor
Delegation of the European Commission in Slovakia
