Source: SITA, 6.8.2009

A great portion of Slovakia’s citizens feel concerns over tension in relations between Bratislava and Budapest, shows a survey that the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) conducted between July 1 and July 7. IVO surveyed 1,017 adults. The survey shows that 53 percent of respondents are concerned about the issue. In contrast, 36 percent did not show any concerns about the topic. Eight percent of those polled did not register the problem and three percent were unable to take a stance on it.

The survey shows that tension in Slovak-Hungarian relations is the reason for concerns for more than 50 percent of both male and female respondents. People with higher education condemn more the complicated relations between the countries. As far as citizens of Hungarian nationality are concerned, 76 percent feel concerns about it. Among Slovak respondents, 51 percent showed concerns. Of partisans of the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) representing interests of ethnic Hungarians here, 90 percent are concerned abut tension between both countries.