People & Power

Neighbours not friends

Are growing tensions in Slovakia creating the conditions for another European conflict?

Slovakia’s voters go to the polls this weekend for the fifth time since it became a nation in 1993. 

However for it’s southern neighbour Hungary, which recently held elections of its own, the political flavour of Slovakia’s next government is a matter of some significance.

Relations between the two countries have become increasingly tense in the past few years.

Slovakia has a sizeable ethnic Hungarian community and grievances about perceived discrimination at the hands of the authorities have been growing.

Add to that a controversial recent decision from Budapest to offer citizenship to Hungarians living abroad, and the increasing influence of far right nationalists in both countries and you have a volatile and potentially dangerous mix.

Filmmakers Nick Hazlewood and John Ryan have this report for People & Power.

This episode of People & Power can be seen from Wednesday, June 9, at the following times GMT: Wednesday: 0600, 1230; Thursday: 0130, 1400, 1930; Friday: 0630, 1630; Saturday: 0330, 2030; Sunday: 0030, 0530; Monday: 0830.