Hungary fuels language dispute with Slovakia (SME, Slovakia)

The government in Bratislava allegedly wants to introduce stricter controls on the Slovakian language skills of schoolchildren belonging to the Hungarian minority. The move is a response to a demand by Hungarian President László Sólyom that children of Hungarian minorities abroad should learn Hungarian as their first language. The liberal daily Sme has no time for this new turn in the language conflict: "The dispute over education in the majority language for children of a minority is typical of how politicians can stir up conflicts that would never arise without them. ... The Hungarian president has no idea in this matter. If he wants improvement he can raise the issue with the responsible commission, but not at an event in [the Northern Serbian province] Vojvodina. The mildly psychotic Slovakian Prime Minister [Robert Fico] was certain to react in kind. ... The current 'reinforcement' of school inspections will only be a torment for Hungarian pupils and teachers. All thanks to Sólyom." (18/03/2010)