Statement on the Hungarian-Slovakian dual citizenship issue
- The Hungarian Helsinki Committee finds the case of ethnic Hungarians from Slovakia losing their citizenship due to obtaining Hungarian citizenship astonishing and absurd. As a consequence of the bad neighbourly relations between the two countries, persons wishing to express their national identity by also taking up Hungarian citizenship have to find themselves in an untenable situation of losing the citizenship of the country where they have been living and wish to live in.
- Not only the Slovak, but the Hungarian government is responsible as well for this situation, as it failed to time its actions appropriately and to properly assess their consequences, as well as whether it will be able to offer genuine protection to the victims of the Slovakian regulations.
- Neither making possible the acquisition of Hungarian citizenship, nor excluding dual citizenship in Slovakia are in breach of the Council of Europe's European Convention on Nationality; since the conflict may not be settled under the rules of international law, the two governments should take action to resolve it.
- The Hungarian Helsinki Committee deals with human rights violations carried out by Hungarian state authorities and provides assistance to the victims thereof. The HHC is able to provide assistance to persons affected by the loss of Slovakian citizenship in cases concerning Hungarian naturalisation or obtaining documents required for Hungarian residence. In these cases, the Helsinki Committee could provide clients legal advice, or if necessary, legal representation.