Hungary’s incoming PM sets conditions for cooperation with Slovakia

Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Peter Magyar, has signalled readiness for constructive cooperation with Slovakia but tied future engagement to specific guarantees concerning the Hungarian minority.

In a statement published on Facebook, Magyar outlined the details of his first telephone conversation with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

He said that while his government is open to dialogue and broader political cooperation, such engagement would depend on Slovakia addressing key concerns. In particular, Magyar called for the withdrawal of legislation that, according to him, could expose ethnic Hungarians in the region historically referred to as Upper Hungary to criminal penalties.

Magyar also demanded assurances that property belonging to ethnic Hungarians would not be confiscated under the so-called Beneš decrees, a set of post-World War II measures based on the principle of collective guilt.

The Hungarian leader emphasised that protecting the rights of ethnic Hungarians abroad remains a central priority for Budapest in its bilateral relations with Slovakia.

At the same time, Magyar indicated that his government aims to strengthen ties with Slovakia and revive cooperation within the Visegrád Group, which includes Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. However, he stressed that progress would depend on resolving the current disputes.

Magyar added that he expects to continue discussions directly with Fico during the upcoming summit of the European Council in Brussels.

By Tamilla Hasanova