Hungarian–Slovak Disputes After 1989. The Limits of Our Strategies

After 1989, two strategies characterised Hungarian politics in Slovakia. The first was the political cooperation that was seen as a way to achieve the rights and positions necessary for the survival and development of the Hungarian minority. The other believed that this could be achieved mainly through pressure, i.e. by force. Neither proved to be a success. Without a substantial change in the national values of the Slovak population, there will remain a layer of voters who consider Hungarians to be dangerous and who consider it right to maintain the previous rules and measures. But our times offer a new opportunity, an opportunity in which Hungarian politics in Slovakia can rise far above itself. For the region is in a situation in which Slovak–Hungarian reconciliation can help make a great step forward. In the competitive environment within the European Union, it is more than necessary for the states of the region to join forces. However, Slovak–Hungarian reconciliation is essential if their relations are to develop from a relationship of interest to one of trust. A revival of the sense of belonging between Hungarians and Slovaks would give impetus to both nations and certainly to the whole region.