Slovak, Hungarian PMs meet to ease tensions

Slovak and Hungarian leaders will today try to put a lid on growing tensions over nationalism in the EU neighbours.

The two central European states have often bickered over the half-million strong Hungarian minority in southern Slovakia, and relations cooled further after a far-right faction joined the Slovak government following a 2006 election.

The meeting in the border town of Komarno follows the beating by police of Hungarian fans at a Slovak soccer match and what Slovakia calls provocations by far-right Hungarian groups.

"The aim is that at least the first few steps be taken to normalise the situation... relations of the two countries should not be defined by extreme nationalism and the acts of radicals," said Hungarian government spokesman David Daroczi.

Budapest criticises Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for ruling with the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), known for harsh rhetoric against ethnic minorities.

The Slovaks are concerned over calls for autonomy and wider language rights in the Hungarian-inhabited south.

"It is unacceptable for a leading Slovak politician to disparage Hungary, or the Hungarian people, there is no debate about that," Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said earlier this week.

He also slammed Hungarian nationalists for burning a Slovak flag in retaliation for the soccer match incident and added that it was "unacceptable... for Slovak citizens or leaders to be slandered in Hungary".

Fico has demanded Hungary rein in its extremists. Slovak police detained more than 20 Hungarian far-right activists on allegations of promoting fascism last week after they marched through Slovak villages in uniforms that police said included Nazi-era signs, which are not forbidden in Hungary.