The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek called on Hungary on Tuesday to work together with Slovakia to iron out differences between the two countries over a Slovak language law which Hungary thinks discriminating against ethnic Hungarians living in the country.

Vollebaek told a press conference here that he would visit Slovakia on Wednesday because of the dispute between the two countries over a Slovak language law that Hungary felt discriminated against the half million ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia. He welcomed the recent meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries and their agreement to abide by his recommendations.

Vollebaek said parts of Hungary's critique of the law were fair and constructive, while other parts were exaggerated and misleading. At the same time, he underlined that minorities did have fundamental rights. His job as OSCE minorities' commissioner was to help protect those rights, he said, but he also had the job of helping the minorities integrate into the societies of the countries they lived in.

He asked Hungary to work together with Slovakia and help it shape the guidelines to implement their newly adopted language law while keeping it in adherence with international standards and minority rights.

Vollebaek attended a meeting of parliament's minorities' committee. He said he had assured the MPs that his office was seeking the way to implement the law, which Slovakia says is intended to guarantee ethnic Slovaks the right to speak their own language in their own country, even in localities where they are the minority, while respecting the rights of the Hungarian and other minorities and easing tensions.

Vollebaek's will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, Foreign Minister Peter Balazs and Christian and Jewish religious leaders.

Source: Xinhua