national populism and slovak – hungarian relations in - MEK

Slovakia since 2004...14 “Fico: Maïarský prezident zneužil návštevu” [‘Fico: Hungarian President Abused Visit’],SITA news agency, October 3, 2007.15 A sermon given by KBS chairman during a holy mass in Èernová; available at:http://www.tkkbs.sk/view.php?cisloclanku=2007102901716 Tomáš Nejedlý: “Haraszti: Zákon ohrozuje slobodu. Musí sa zmeni” [‘Haraszti: LawThreatens Freedom, Must Change’], Hospodárske noviny, February 18, 2008.17 Miroslav Kern: “SMK–MKP zradila partnerov, Fico vyhral” [‘SMK–MKP BetrayedPartners, Fico Won’], Sme, April 11, 2008.18 It turned out eventually that the almost hysterical atmosphere regarding swift ratificationof the Lisbon Treaty was nothing but a marketing stunt by Premier Fico. Even SMK–MKPwould have been better off had the ratification process been postponed at least until Junewhen Ireland rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum. The failure created a completelynew situation in Europe that could have provided favourable conditions for a thoroughpublic debate on the Treaty’s content and implications – which did not take place inSlovakia at all – as well as for negotiations on other issues such as Press Act or StateLanguage Act. As of early November 2009, the ratification process has not been completed;the last member state that has not ratified the Lisbon Treaty is the Czech Republic.19 Full findings of the survey are available at: www.cvek.sk20 “Foreign Minister Summons Slovak Ambassador and Requests Explanation forUnacceptable Slovak Remarks and Actions”, a press release by the Ministry for ForeignAffairs of the Hungarian Republic, October 2, 2008; available at: 21 “Fico: Slota nadáva, lebo ho SMK–MKP provokuje” [‘Fico: Slota Curses becauseSMK–MKP Provokes Him’], ÈTK, SITA, September 27, 2007; available at:22 An interview with President Ivan Gašparoviè broadcast by Slovak Television on November19, 2008.23 In his official position, Vollebaek observed that the amendment had been passed before consultationswith his office were formally over. The full Slovak and English version of thedocument released on July 22, 2009, was published on the official website of the Ministryof Foreign Affairs. It is available at: http://www.mzv.sk/App/WCM/main.nsf?Open24 The present publication features a separate chapter on the case of Hedviga Malinová.25 For instance, they expressed regrets over the circumstances of President Sólyom’s thwartedvisit to Komárno while refusing to specify either side’s responsibility for the incidentand its implications.26 “Lajèák: „rendezõdött“ a magyar-szlovák viszony az utóbbi hetekben” [‘Lajèák:Slovak–Hungarian Relations Normalized in Recent Weeks’], MTI, October 25, 2009.27 Vražda, Daniel: “Orbán sa postavil za Csákyho” [‘Orbán Backed Csáky’], Sme, October19, 2009.28 “Èaploviè: Csáky je klamár, Orbánovo vystúpenie bola politická agresia” [‘Èaploviè:Csáky Is a Liar, Orbán’s Appearance Was Political Aggression’], TASR, October 24, 2009.29 The videoblog is available at: http://www.premiersr.sk/15540/youtube-videa.php30 Molnár Iván: “Fasiszta hazudozók vagyunk” [‘We Are Fascist Liars’], Új Szó, October 24,2009.31 Bibó, István: “Mierová zmluva a maïarská demokracia” [‘The Peace Treaty andHungarian Democracy’] in Bibó, István: Bieda východoeurópskych malých štátov. Vybranéštúdie [Misery of Small States of Eastern Europe: Select Studies], (Bratislava: Kalligram,1996, p. 239).32 Petõcz, Kálmán: “Právo a morálka” [‘Law and Morality’], Sme, September 12, 2007.National Populism and Slovak – Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006 – 2009. Forum Minority Research Institute Šamorín – Somorja, 200997