Hungarian Opposition Leader Pledges Support for Slovak Hungarians in Future Government

Péter Magyar, leader of Hungary's opposition Tisza Party, pledged that a future government under his leadership would support ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia's southern regions, historically known as Felvidék. Magyar made the commitment following a meeting with the head of the Hungarian Alliance, a political party representing Slovakia's Hungarian minority. The Hungarian opposition leader criticized Slovakia's current legislation regarding minority rights as unacceptable and claimed it violates fundamental European Union values. Magyar's statement reflects ongoing tensions over minority language and cultural rights in Slovakia, where ethnic Hungarians comprise about 8 percent of the population and are concentrated primarily in southern border regions that were part of historic Hungary until World War I.