TASR Launches Hungarian-language News Service

Bratislava, February 13 (TASR) – The News Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) is launching a Hungarian-language news service as of February, replacing the hitherto existing Czech-language service.

The Hungarian Export Service will cover the most important events in Slovakia, with a special focus on issues concerning Slovakia’s largest ethnic minority (8.5 percent of the population, according to the 2011 census). Input for the Hungarian service, due to release up to 20 news stories per day, will be provided from news materials published by TASR’s Slovak-language desks – the Domestic News, Economy and Business, Sports, Easy and International Desks.

“Establishing the ethnic-minority service was part of my TASR management project. For the first time in the agency’s history, our largest ethnic minority will be provided information from a public-service source in its own language. After having made available our service for towns and villages, this represents the next step in getting closer to the public,” said TASR general director Vladimir Puchala, who took the job in September 2017.

Providing mainly information from regions inhabited by the Hungarian ethnic minority, the service will be available for media customers and also municipalities, based on cooperation with the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS).

“I believe the Hungarian-language service will find its permanent customers. It was a well-grounded move to set it up. It will allow customers to get the most important information from Slovakia and the southern region,” said Monika Himpanova, head of TASR’s International Desk, which includes the newly established Hungarian-language service along with the English Export Service.