Slovakia terminates decades-old citizenship agreement with Hungary

Slovakia has officially decided to terminate its citizenship agreement with Hungary, which was originally signed in 1961. The Slovak government, under the leadership of Robert Fico, has argued that the current arrangement is unconstitutional, particularly when it comes to the citizenship status of children with parents of dual nationality.

Slovakia terminates citizenship agreement with Hungary

The agreement originally stipulated that children born to parents of mixed Slovak-Hungarian nationality would receive the citizenship chosen by their parents. If the parents could not agree, the child would automatically be granted the citizenship of the country in which they resided. However, Slovakia now plans to end this agreement, as the government believes it is unconstitutional to deprive a child of Slovak citizenship against their will, especially in cases involving minors, Új Szó reports.

Interestingly, the Slovak government also noted that Hungary had unilaterally declared the agreement void in 1999, meaning Slovakia has been the only party upholding its terms for over two decades. The agreement was initially designed to prevent dual citizenship for minors, but it now conflicts with Slovakia’s constitution, as well as European citizenship agreements and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In addition to terminating the agreement with Hungary, Slovakia is also cancelling a similar agreement with the former Soviet Union, which now only applies to Russia. The termination will take effect 12 months after the other party is notified, and Slovakia’s parliament must also approve the decision.

Does this change dual citizenship for Slovaks of Hungarian descent?

Despite this development, the situation for Hungarians living in Slovakia, particularly those in the Felvidék region, remains unchanged. Under Slovakia’s strict 2010 law, anyone who acquires a second nationality—such as Hungarian citizenship through Hungary’s simplified naturalisation process—will lose their Slovak citizenship. According to Index, this law was introduced in response to Hungary granting dual citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living abroad in 2010.

While Slovakia amended its dual citizenship law in 2021, the changes still do not allow Slovaks of Hungarian descent to hold both Slovak and Hungarian citizenships without losing their Slovak nationality. Under the revised law, only those who have lived abroad for at least five years or who acquire foreign citizenship through marriage or adoption can retain their Slovak citizenship. This means that only Slovaks of Hungarian descent who have been residing in Hungary for at least five years can safely apply for Hungarian citizenship without losing their Slovak status.

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