Caputova Praises Preservation of Ethnic Slovak Culture in Hungary

Budapest/Bratislava, July 11 (TASR-correspondent) - Slovak President Zuzana Caputova voiced her gratitude to representatives of local self-government for preserving traditions, language and culture of ethnic Slovaks living in Hungary during her visit to Slovakia's southern neighbour on Thursday. Caputova underlined the importance of constructive ties between Bratislava and Budapest as fellow neighbours. She also extended thanks to representatives of ethnic Slovaks in Hungary. "Everything you do for preserving our culture is extremely important and I'm grateful to you for that. I went to inaugural visits to the Czech Republic and Brussels and at both these places met (ethnic) Slovaks living in these cities and countries in a similar vein. It's very important for me to be in live contact with people who represent our culture and our nation in other countries," emphasised the head of state at the conclusion of her visit to Hungary. State-wide Self-administration of Slovaks in Hungary president Alzbeta Hollerova Rackova pointed out that Slovak ancestors settled on the soil of present-day Hungary more than 300 years ago and built their towns and villages, for instance, in the Komarom-Esztergom county, in the vicinity of Budapest, Zemplen county and in the Pilis Mountain region. There are currently some 9,000 Slovak native speakers in Hungary, with almost 30,000 Hungarian citizens claiming Slovak ethnicity during the last population census. mf/am