We, the leaders of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Reformed Church in Hungary, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary are alarmed that use of the Hungarian language may be punishable in accordance with the recently passed "Language Act" in Slovakia.

The approved Language Act severely breaches the rights of ethnic minorities living within the boundaries of Slovakia and significantly hinders their everyday life. We fully support the statements of the Government of the Republic of Hungary and the parliamentary parties in disapproving of the Language Act, and we ask them to do their utmost with European bodies to revoke the approved Act and retain the rules of European coexistence in line with Jewish-Christian values that have existed for a thousand years.

The approved Language Act in Slovakia breaches fundamental European values and rules, therefore, it cannot simply be deemed a domestic matter of one particular country. On behalf of our Churches we will ask international church organisations to help in taking measures to have the Language Act in Slovakia revoked.

Budapest, 8 July 2009

Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference

Reformed Church in Hungary

Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary

Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary