Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, expressed hope that the issue of dual citizenship would sometime in future be resolved in Slovakia, after talks in Révkomárom (Komarno) on Wednesday.
Szijjártó held talks with Béla Keszegh, the local mayor and board member of the Party of the Hungarian Community in Slovakia, and György Gyimesi, member of the Slovak National Council.
“The option of dual citizenship, it seems at the moment, is not ensured in Slovakia,” Szijjártó said after the meeting which also addressed the citizenship issue.
“Dual citizenship is a legal instrument that exists across Europe, an institution which should not be feared,” he said.
“We would like to discuss this issue with Slovakia, a strategic partner for Hungary, rationally and on the ground of mutual respect,” Szijjártó said, calling the neighbouring country’s Hungarian community an important link in bilateral ties. He called on Slovakia’s Hungarians to participate at the ongoing national census and declare their ethnicity.
Concerning the coronavirus epidemic, Szijjártó said that the Slovak government had asked for his help in putting their officials in contact with Russian and Chinese partners during talks on purchasing Covid-19 vaccines from those two countries.
He said the Hungarian government was also sending 27 ventillators to 13 hospitals in southern Slovakia where a large Hungarian community lives.
Featured photo via Péter Szijjártó’s Facebook page
