1988. július (161-183. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
í sím ©arjain; I ©sfiffii Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 165/1988 (E) 12th July, 1988 Protest Against the Disbanding of the Slovakian Nationality Council The Legal Defence Gommittee fór the Czechoslovakian Hungárián Minority published a protest against the disbandment of the Slovakian Nationality Council. The Committee regards this measure as another sign of discrimination against the Hungárián national minority. The letter dated June 20th 1988 to the Czechoslovakian Federal Government is as follows: Dear Council of Ministers The Slovakian Socialist Republic’s Council of Ministers in a meeting on May 18th made a decision, number 132, to disband the committees of certain government advisory bodies. This measure is reputedly connected to the reduction of state administrative bodies. We were informed that one of the 21 advisory, co-ordinating and assisting bodies which were disbanded was the government’s Nationality Council. This measure is surprising as in the Czech Socialist Republic, where nationality policy affects small stratas of the population, this measure was nőt passed, thus this decision again proves the Slovak state leadership’s undiminished anti-minority policy. The Nationality Council was the last relic of an incomplete institute system, it was founded in 1969 in Slovakia to administer the minorities’ affairs and since then has been continuously eroded. The Nationality Council was the last link in the state institute system fór the minorities. Its disbandment is a grave mistake which cannot be justified by either an economic efficiency or rationalization view point as such a body cannot be replaced. We believe that it is mere prejudice that such an organisation falls victim to disbandment when just the contrary should have happened: its sphere of influence and inde- pendence should have increased. The other part of the measure is alsó disturbing according to whicn the National Committees’ Council and the Nationality Council and the secretaryships attached to them will be merged intő one body. The government session issued an obscure announce- ment (Pravda. U.i Szó (New Word), May 19th 1988) from which it is nőt clear exactly what this merger will mean. Bút we know from experience that the nationality problem in the event of a merger would be completely side-tracked which is presuraably the SÍ vak govemment’s intention. That is why we believe that this measure is anti-minority, malevolent and one that will destroy Czechoslovakian Hungárián common soeial feeling. This conviction is strengthened by reliable sources at our disposal according to which Slovakian government circles positively welcomed the Románián head of state’s measures, which every normál thinking person condemns, to eliminate a mass of Transylvanian and Bánat Hungárián, Germán and Serbian villages. An opinion was voiced that the "Romanians know how to deal with the Hungarians...We are similarly outraged by the new first secretary of the Slovak Communist Party’s Central Committee Ignác Janák’s view about an enforced national minority policy fór the Hungárián minority. According to him the Hungarians should nőt be harassed bút silently strangled. We alsó consider the dismantling of the Nationality Council as a bad sign fór the new Czechoslovakian constitution which is now being drafted: this measure hints at the type of constitution it will be. We must alsó state that the Slovak government’s measure is only one of a series of measures which have already been implemented against the Hungárián minority. A step was taken to reduce Hungárián language education in schools which was fortunately thwarted in time, travel to Hungary is restricted and Hungárián publications are disproportionately highly priced and difficult to obtain, all these things cause ill Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
