X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.mideur-l
Date:         Mon, 28 Sep 1992 14:31:07 -0400
From:         "(George Frajkor)" <gfrajkor@CCS.CARLETON.CA>
Subject:      Re: Slovak-world (fwd)

Forwarding thwe following from the  Hungarian discussion list:
-----------------------------------------------
Miklos Prisznyak writes:

>
> I've had some lengthy conversations with a Slovak young man about Slovak
> politics. ( He is from Bratislava. ) He also felt uneasy about the split up
> and agreed that many Slovaks don't want to break away.
>  We also agreed on that that Slovakia on its own will have *very* severe
> economic troubles which inevitably will lead to the need of finding scape
> goats. Politicians need enemies ( either inside or outside ) when things
> go really badly. ;-(  And only the large ethnic Hungarian minority is really
> suitable for that there.. ( The tenth of the whole population.
>  There are some indicative signs already that this will happen.
>
>  Some days ago Slovak Premier (ex-communist!) Meciar had talks in Budapest.
> The Hungarian PM Jozsef Antall wanted/wants to have a bilateral treaty
> to settle the issues of minorities mutually. ( There's a nearly 100,000-strong
> Slovak minority living mainly close to the Rumanian border in Hungary as well.
> )  Basically it would have meant that both states support their minorities
> in each other's country by providing teachers, books, newspapers and similar
> help in the minorities' effort to preserve their national identities.
> ( I must tell that the assimilation of Slovaks in Hungary is generally
+ stronger
>  than Hungarians' in Slovakia. That's basically because Slovaks live in
> sporadic villages, in most cases they don't form a majority locally, on the
> other hand Hungarians live in large blocks in Southern Slovakia. )
>   Meciar *turned down* the offer saying he wants "all-European  solution."
> IMO, this clearly means he doesn't care much about Slovaks in Hungary,
> the tensions between Hungary and Slovakia and the internal conflicts between
> the Slovaks and Hungarians serve his interests up to a point.
>   The Danube dam turned a symbol of these frictions... The Slovakia now
> wants to divert the Danube which would mean modifying the international
> border according to Hungary.  If they really do it ( and it seems like
> they are getting very serious about it, not accepting/waiting for the
> decision of the International Court in the Hague ) then the relations
> will aggravate very much indeed. ( Hungary cannot retreat since no Hungarian
> government would survive that agrees to finishing 'the Socialist Monster'.
>  The green groups that pressed the last (reform) Communist government to
> give up building were heavily backed by all then opposition forces and
> popolous demonstrations. )
>
> The Slovakian Hungarian parties or leaders never mentioned 'opting out'
>  , nor (serious) politicians in Hungary for that reason. They know very
> well that the great powers would not want modification of international
> borders. Besides, Hungary can only lose her appeal to foreign investors,
> this would create an impossibly hostile enviroment around Hungary ( think
> of Rumania !!! ), etc.  All in all, I would exclude the possiblity of an
> armed conflict between Hungary and Slovakia. Slovakia wouldn't provoke or
> attack since she's the weaker both militarily and economically.
>
>   As for the Hungarians' views about their situations, well, there's a
> rather big resignation, bitterness, pessimism,etc. ( I even heard an old
> age pensioner say aloud in the street: "Democracy? I want a bit higher
> pension rather. " ) Some came off better, so they are content. And probably
> the majority still say " it must be better later some time."
>  My family or me also think that.. :)
>   To explain things: I'm a graduate , I go back to Hungary today having
> spent some months here in Switzerland . ( This is my 'swan song' to the
> list now. :-) I've been reading only so far. ) My parents are blue-collar
>  workers.
>
>  Well, that's  it.
>
>   All the best to everyone,
>
>                 Miklos
>
> PS: Hope I didn't abuse people's time on the list. If someone had been annoyed
> then s/he  must have pressed the 'discard key' earlier. :-)
>


    Jan George Frajkor
 School of Journalism                      _!_
 Carleton University,                     __!__
 Ottawa, Ontario                            !
 Canada K1S 5B6                             !
   -- gfrajkor@ccs.carleton.ca --          /^\
  613 788-7404     fax:613 788-5604    /^\/   \/^\
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