POLICY PAPER: Slovak-Hungarian reconciliation and lessons for the Western Balkans

The parliamentary elections in Hungary and Slovakia in 2010 changed the political situation and overall climate in both countries. However, it can be argued that the improvement in bilateral relations is based more on the changed rhetoric and style of communication than on a real reconciliation process. Additional political will and maintenance of a consensual approach remain necessary preconditions for solving existing problems and dismantling deeply rooted ethnic stereotypes which arise from different and selective historical narratives, collective memory and changing the status quo.

In the first part, the paper provides abrief overview of the most problematic issues in Slovak- Hungarian bilateral relations in the context of last thirty years. Secondly, various governmental initiatives and non- governmental reconciliation efforts are evaluated. Finally, the paper aims to summarize the most important prerequisites for the future development of Slovak- Hungarian relations and offers some lessons learned, as well as recommendations for Western Balkan countries.

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