Hungary: Controversial citizenship law

The Hungarian parliament has adopted a law which makes it easier for ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring countries to get dual citizenship. 344 MPs voted for the law, three were against and five abstained from the vote. Hungary: Controversial citizenship law Right-wing party Fidesz, which has two thirds of seats in parliament necessary for changes of the Constitution, wanted the law to come into effect on August 20, which is a state holiday in that country. However, the Dual Citizenship Law’s implementation will begin onJanuary 1, 2011. The law will allow ethic Hungarians from neighboring countries to get dual citizenship but not the voting right for which having a residency in Hungary is still necessary. The law concerns 3.5 million Hungarians who mostly live in Romania and Slovakia, but also in Serbia, Croatia, Ukraine and Austria. Hungarians make almost ten percent of a total of 5.4 million inhabitants in Slovakia, AFP news agency reported. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sharply criticized the law and said that his country would consider it a security threat. Slovakia called its ambassador to Budapest home for consultations two weeks ago. Slovak MPs expressed deep concern over the announced changes of the Hungarian law and warned that it was a unilateral step toward establishment of institutional relations with about half a million ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia.

Hungary: Controversial citizenship law

Right-wing party Fidesz, which has two thirds of seats in parliament necessary for changes of the Constitution, wanted the law to come into effect on August 20, which is a state holiday in that country.

However, the Dual Citizenship Law’s implementation will begin onJanuary 1, 2011.

The law will allow ethic Hungarians from neighboring countries to get dual citizenship but not the voting right for which having a residency in Hungary is still necessary.

The law concerns 3.5 million Hungarians who mostly live in Romania and Slovakia, but also in Serbia, Croatia, Ukraine and Austria.

Hungarians make almost ten percent of a total of 5.4 million inhabitants in Slovakia, AFP news agency reported.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sharply criticized the law and said that his country would consider it a security threat.

Slovakia called its ambassador to Budapest home for consultations two weeks ago.

Slovak MPs expressed deep concern over the announced changes of the Hungarian law and warned that it was a unilateral step toward establishment of institutional relations with about half a million ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia.