Korcok in Budapest: Trianon Treaty Mustn't Be Stumbling Block to Future

Budapest, June 2 (TASR-correspondent) – The Treaty of Trianon, which partitioned the Kingdom of Hungary after the First World War 100 years ago, mustn’t be a stumbling block preventing Slovaks and Hungarians from looking to the future, said Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok during his first official visit to Hungary on Tuesday.

Korcok said that he had a frank discussion on the Treaty of Trianon with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.

“We view this historical milestone differently; it concerns the same history, but we live it in different ways. If there’s anything that doesn’t unite us, it mustn’t divide us. This is also how the initiative of Slovak Prime Minister [Igor Matovic] should be viewed, as he invited representatives of the Hungarian community in Slovakia to meet on the eve of this anniversary. In my opinion, it’s a strong signal, if you will, of empathy, which we also expect from Hungary on June 4, when you’ll be commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the Peace Treaty of Trianon,” said Korcok.

According to Korcok, Slovaks, Hungarians and many other European nations have complicated experiences from this page of history – what was a defeat for some was a victory for others; what some bear as a trauma is viewed by others as the beginning of their freedom.

“Nevertheless, this mustn’t become a millstone around our necks preventing us from looking to the future and from doing what people now expect from us. I believe that this week will be a week full of empathy. I hope that the tones in Budapest on June 4 will be ones of launching cooperation for the future,” said Korcok.

The Slovak and Hungarian ministers also discussed current bilateral relations with a focus on relaxing border controls in the region, as the coronavirus outbreak has calmed down.