Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [Can anyone doubt that the entire army of NGOs, Sorosite journalists, assorted embassy and foreign intelligence personnel are working overtime on this issue?] Sunday September 2, 2:50 AM Slovak PM plays down threat to coalition over minority rights BEKESCSABA, Hungary, Sept 1 (AFP) - Slovakian Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda said on Saturday he was confident Slovakia's coalition government would survive a dispute over rights for the country's 600,000-strong ethnic Hungarian minority. "My optimism is based on the realisation that in the decisive moments, the Hungarian Coalition Party has always showed responsibility towards the country's development," Dzurinda told a news briefing after meeting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban here. Slovakia's Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK), that represents ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia, has threatened to quit the government coalition long marred by in fighting if legislation fails to provide adequate rights and funds for local administrative bodies in Slovakia by the end of September. Dzurinda played down the threat. "I have not been excited by what the SMK wants, because I want the same: that Slovakia implements a genuine administrative reform," said Dzurinda, whose country is working to join the European Union. "I would not really speak about the SMK but about the pressure that is put on our government so that its fulfills its program," he said. "The upper levels of local administration are due to be created from next year. The sooner the legislation about them is born, the better for the Hungarian Coalition Party and the better for all of us," he added. He was speaking after he and Orban ceremonially opened a new Slovak consulate in this southern Hungarian town, in a region with a large ethnic Slovak minority. Orban said "the Hungarians living in Slovakia can decide what is best for them. Hungary's government will respect their decision and hope that they can achieve their goals." "But I have to say that their pleasure is our pleasure, what hurts them hurts us and their success is our success, so we are wishing them success." The two men agreed that they will ceremonially inaugurate a new bridge between the southern Slovak Sturovo and Hungary's northern Esztergom over the Danube on October 11. They also agreed that Hungary will allocate support worth 400 million forints (1.55 million euros) for a Slovak school in the southern Hungarian town of Szarvas, and on jointly building a motorway between the Slovak town Kosice and Hungary's northern Miskolc. "Ultimately, we shall belong to a region ruled by the same legal and economic rules. The former isolation of borders cannot be maintained," Orban said. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
