Mezei István: Urban development in Slovakia (Pécs-Somorja, 2010)

6. Towns along the Hungarian and Slovak border

Types of cooperation

and later small regions, came into prominence. In recent times the role of large cities has been emphasized, this is the so-called pole programme. This seems to be diminishing now and replaced by the ambition to develop towns in general.

The Hungarian actors that take part in Hungarian and Slovak crossborder cooperation have mixed feelings concerning the changed conditions of language usage. Hungarian public opinion has not become aware of the fact that the Czecho/Slovak assimilation policy that has been going on for several decades has been successful, and even those living close to the border still do not realize this. First of all, as a result of the several waves of deportation and reslovakization after World War II, Slovak people appeared and gained leading positions in areas where formerly a high number of Hungarians were living, thus forcing them into a subjugated situation. The vast settlement after the population exchange and the almost complete Slovakization following it have achieved their goal. Along the line of the towns Veľký Krtís-Lučenec-Fiľakovo- Rimavská Sobota-Tornaľa-Plešivec-Rožňava-Moldava nad Bodvou, they managed to oust or assimilate Hungarian people and, by settling down Slovak people and brainwashing Hungarians, change ethnicity proportions. They managed to turn the formerly extremely strong Hungarian consciousness into Slovak consciousness. This is also a kind of assimilation, the state-trained Hungarian-speaking Slovak people. All this has led to the fact that it is rather difficult to find partners for cross-border cooperation, let alone Hungarian-speaking partners now that the border is opened. There are just few Hungarian-hearted partners who understand Hungarian interests and the unification of the Hungarian nation. There are also some figures to confirm this. Proportionally, the fewest identity cards available for Hungarian ethnic minorities living outside of Hungary were taken out in Slovakia (Szarka 2005).

To overcome language problems, the English language could be used, but neither party is really prepared for this and the people living there do not really consider it natural. The young generation, still at school, is expected to be able to use good and fluent English, but in real life it is still a question as to which language will be the language of the maintenance of relations. Meanwhile, just as a result of the opening of the borders, the formerly despised Hungarian knowledge has begun to be appreciated. Well-educated young people who can speak Hungarian, Slovak and English are very much in demand nowadays, mainly in settlement and regional development and in economic life.

169