RPT- Hungary protests Slovak law, says breaches EU norms

                                
 (Repeats story from late Wednesday)
                                
 BUDAPEST, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Hungary's prime minister said
on Wednesday that Slovak legislation punishing the use of
minority languages is unacceptable and goes against the basic
values of the European Union and the Lisbon Treaty.
                                
 Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said in a statement that
Slovakia had breached the so-called Szecseny an agreement signed
by the two countries in September. [ID:nL9715026]
                                
 Then the two central European neighbours tried to ease
tensions and agreed to accept recommendations from the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to
resolve differences over a Slovak language law, which Hungary
says hurts minority rights.
                                
 The government of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico approved
rules on Wednesday governing how the law will be implemented. It
will come into force in January 2010.
                                
 "The approved directives go against not only the Szecseny
agreement but also against the OSCE recommendations which Slovak
Prime Minister Robert Fico had fully accepted," Bajnai said.
                                
 "The government is firmly requesting Slovakia to suspend the
application of punitive measures for the period of ongoing talks
as those cause moral and social damage, and further increase
fear among minority communities."
                                
 Bajnai said if Slovakia does not suspend the measures,
Hungary will give financial and legal help to the ethnic
Hungarian minority in Slovakia to help their legal fight.
                                
 Some 10 percent of Slovakia's 5.4 million people have
Hungarian roots.
                                
 The Slovak language law stipulates only Slovak may be used
in most public offices and institutions and it is seen by many
in the Hungarian minority as the latest in a series of moves by
nationalist-minded governments to suppress their culture.
                                
 The OSCE had raised concerns over the implementation and
sanctions of the law.
                                
 The law allows the Culture Ministry to impose fines that can
reach 5,000 euro ($7,284). The ministry set 21 criteria for
evaluation of a possible breach of the legislation.
                                
 "The law on the state language is not about the use of
minorities' languages. It is for the protection of the state
language, for the protection of Slovak citizens to use the state
language ... We respect rights of minorities," Slovak Culture
Minister Marek Madaric said after the government meeting.
                                
 The ministry said it cooperated with OSCE in Europe when
drafting the rules of implementation.
                                
 Relations between the two ex-communist states have always
been patchy but they worsened after Fico brought the rightist
Slovak National Party (SNS), known for harsh rhetoric against
minorities, into his ruling coalition after 2006 elections.
  (Reporting by Krisztina Than in Budapest and Martin Santa in
Bratislava)