Bratislava, 11 March 1997 (RFE/RL) - Government officials from Slovakia and Hungary meet today in Budapest to discuss issues ranging from Slovakia's new language law to minority rights. Rudolf Michalka of Slovakia's Foreign Ministry National Minorities Department tells RFE/RL that today's meeting will attempt to iron out details of implementation of the basic Slovakia-Hungary treaty.
In addition, Michalka said the two sides are expected to set a date for a meeting of Slovakia's and Hungary's Foreign Ministers. That meeting is expected to take place this month.
Although the two countries have taken the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros dam dispute to the World Court in The Hague, other issues must still be resolved. Slovakia's controversial language law, which minorities view as targeting them, is one of those issues. The law went into effect at the beginning of the year, and is already causing friction between the Hungarian minority and Slovaks in southern Slovakia.
In addition, Michalka said the two sides are expected to set a date for a meeting of Slovakia's and Hungary's Foreign Ministers. That meeting is expected to take place this month.
Although the two countries have taken the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros dam dispute to the World Court in The Hague, other issues must still be resolved. Slovakia's controversial language law, which minorities view as targeting them, is one of those issues. The law went into effect at the beginning of the year, and is already causing friction between the Hungarian minority and Slovaks in southern Slovakia.