Szabad Kapacitás, 1992 (4. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)

1992 / 1. szám (angol)

A unique political development

In December 1989, and later, as a result of the free

elections in Czechoslovakia in June 1990. it was for the

first time in the modern eastern-European history that a

party representing a minority joined the Government

coalition. It was a coalition of liberal, democratic

political movements arisen from the Czechoslovakian

"velvet revolution". This minority political grouping was

the Independent Hungarian Initiative (the later

Hungarian Civic Party).

In the course of spring 1990 two other political

movements of the Hungarian minority were established:

the Coexistence and the Hungarian Christian

Democratic Movement. Thus a real political pluralism

inside the minority came into being, which is another

uniqueness in nowadays Eastern Europe.

The Independent Hungarian Initiative (Hungarian

Civic Party) has often been criticised by the two other

Hungarian political groupings for its decision to join the

Government. In their opinion a minority political

representation should always be in opposition. In order

to judge, whether the participation of the Hungarian

Civic Party in the Government was efficient or not, let

us consider a characteristic example: the adoption of the

Land Act.

Statement about

the adoption

of the Land Act.

Oszkár Világi

The Political Bureau of the Independent Hungarian Initiative acknowledges with satisfaction the

adoption of the Land Act by the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia. This Act enables among others

that the Hungarian minority citizens in Slovakia demand their land properties confiscated by the

Czechoslovakian authorities after 1945. By introducing this Act one of the most important aims of the

Independent Hungarian Initiative (IHI) was achieved: elimination of discriminative clauses taken

against the Hungarian minority after 1945, started in practice.

The IHI strives not only for a moral rehabilitation (nevertheless, its significance is evident), but

considers as a matter of vital importance also the restitution of property, creation the conditions for

establishing a social layer of owners and assuring an equality of chances in economical relations for the

minority citizens as well.

The process of adoption of the Land Act has proved that the policy of the IHi is right and that its

presence in the Government brings concrete positive effect for the Hungarians in Slovakia. The. IHI,

being member of the Government coalition achieved that the paragraph dealing with the land

confiscated from Hungarians was presented not as a mere individual motion, but as a part of the

Government draft. Thus the chance of its adoption was increased in a considerable extent. It is a

matter of great importance that we were successful to make a political agreement with the Slcv.-k • '

Czech democratic parties. We also appreciate very much the assistance and support of the two other

Hungarian political movements.

/.../

László

Najgy, Chairman

Károly Tóth,

Secretary General

Oszkár Világi,

Deputy

to the Federal Assembly,

Rapporteur of the Land Act

25 May 1991