Hungarians in Slovakia outraged by Orbán’s comments on alleged Soros plot

Slovakia is in political turmoil after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kusnirova. Mr. Kuciak was investigating corruption within the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico and connections between those in power to the Calabrian Mafia. Remarkably, the seven suspects arrested in connection to the murder were all released without charges. Mr. Fico’s Hungarian coalition partner, the Most-Híd party, successfully pressured the Minister of Interior, Robert Kalinak, to resign, as mass anti-government protests continue to grip Slovakia. How does Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán see those protesting his Slovak ally? He insinuated that they were George Soros lackeys and that the worldwide Soros conspiracy was plotting to take down the Slovak government, because it opposed immigration.

Mr. Orbán’s total lack of compassion for the families and friends of the murdered couple and his attack against tens of thousands of Slovak citizens, some of Hungarian ethnicity, who are demanding answers has enraged many Hungarians in Slovakia. Kálmán Petőcz, a former diplomat for Slovakia of Hungarian ethnicity, however, wrote the most articulate rebuttal to the Hungarian prime minister’s callous remarks. His open letter appeared in Slovakia’s Hungarian-language Új Szó daily.

“What you said on Friday is not only a delinquent commentary, but also a deliberate attempt to drag a neighbouring country into Hungary’s election campaign…You have insulted every decent citizen of Slovakia,” wrote Mr. Petőcz in his letter to the Hungarian prime minister. He then added: “You know very well that George Soros or other ‘western imperialists’ have nothing to do with the fact that in Slovakia, people are enraged and are protesting.”

Mr. Petőcz then struck at the heart of the Orbán regime:

“Perhaps in Hungary it is possible to win another election with anti-Soros and anti-migrant rhetoric. But in Slovakia, at the moment, this is certainly not possible. Most people do not fall for this…”

Kálmán Petőcz

Mr. Petőcz argues in his letter that under the Fico government, the criminal underworld has infiltrated the state. The mafia is present in every Slovak institution and has become so emboldened that their people murdered, in cold blood, two innocent young Slovaks. “Do you have not a single reassuring word, with which you could express your sympathy to the relatives of the two murdered young Slovaks? Even in this difficult moment are you able to do nothing except rant about Soros and the migrants? This is unfortunate, because with this you have insulted 120,000 peaceful protesters. In order to see clearly, they don’t need Soros and they don’t need you. After all, they live in this country and experience on their own skin the arrogance of those in power,” wrote Me. Petőcz.

Meanwhile, the fate of Mr. Fico and his government is in the hands of the party that mostly represents the interests of Slovakia’s Hungarian minority, Most-Híd. Some in the party are calling for them to pull out of the coalition with Mr. Fico, which would result in fresh elections. Others in Most-Híd are demanding that Mr. Fico resign.

It appears entirely possible that Slovakia will soon face early elections.

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