SLOVAK – HUNGARIAN RELATIONS, CATHOLICISM AND CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY

Abstract

Dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, disagreement of Hungary with the post-war reorganisation of this region based on the Treaty of Trianon and the issue of the rights of the Hungarian ethnic minority in neighbouring countries are obstacles, which place a burden on Slovak-Hungarian relations. It appears difficult to overcome these obstacles although both nations are close culturally and mentally, they share more than 1,000 years of common history in several state entities and traditional Christian and Catholic identity. The conflict is ongoing at the political level. It manifests itself especially in the domestic political level because Slovakia has a well-organised and large Hungarian minority, and also in relations between both neighbouring countries at the international level. Both particular Catholic churches place an emphasis on the protection of national interest. A nation connects a sum of individuals more than a religion. In difficult situations a nation becomes a secular religion, and this is also related to the gradual secularisation of a society, and transferring transcendent characteristics and functions to the nation or national state.