Petőcz Kálmán (szerk.): National Populism and Slovak - Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006-2009 (Somorja, 2009)

Kálmán Petőcz: Slovakia since 2004 - National Populism and the Hungarian Issue

KÁLMÁN PETŐCZ:

SIovaI<ía síince 2004 - NatíonaI PopuliSM AN<d tIhe HuNqARiAN Issue

SIovaLía's Entry t0 EU ancI NATO: a Turnínq Poínt1

In the second half of 2004, the pace of political development as well as economic and structural reforms in Slovakia slowed down. After the country had accomplished two crucial foreign and domestic policy objectives — namely accession to the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and the European Union (EU) - most political and social players began to display certain signs of fatigue.

Simultaneously, emotions began to prevail in mutual Slovak-Hungarian relations, this time on account of Hungary’s referendum on granting double citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries that had been initiated by the World Federation of Hungarians and supported by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party along with other right-wing parties. On the other hand, the ruling socialists and their coalition partners, namely the Association of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) refused to endorse the referendum, which eventually led to its failure.2 Ethnic Hungarians across the region accepted the plebiscite’s outcome with disappointment, desertedness and betrayal, especially in Transylvania (Romania), Trans-Carpathian Ukraine and Vojvodina (Serbia).1 Members of Slovakia’s Hungarian minority felt a little less offended, mostly because Slovakia had already been a full-fledged member of the EU. Nevertheless, the Party of Hungarian Coalition (SMK—MKP) endorsed the idea of double citizenship for ethnic Hungarians in the region out of solidarity, provoking displeasure on the part of Slovak political parties.

Meanwhile, contradictions among Slovak ruling parties sparked by financial scandals involving Pavol Rusko, Minister of Economy and

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