COMMUNISTS MERGED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Grey River Argus, 1 October 1948, Page 5

COMMUNISTS MERGED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Question of Citizenship for Hungarians

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter Cable). (Received September 30, 10.0 p.m.) FrtACrUJL,, bepte.nue. IJK >.

It is announced, from Bratislava, that me biuvax wunmiunist x-uxij, nas decided to unite wren me Czechoslovak Communist Party, thus forming: one Party for the whole’ nation. The new Party will come under the control of the central committee of tne Czechoslovak Communist Party in Prague. me Slovak Communist Party recommended, as a new approach to the Hungarian problem, that full Czechoslovak citizenship rights should be available to all of those Hungarians who remain in Slovakia. Hungarians entering Czech territory can, at present, receive Czech citizenship after six months’ residence, but Hungarians entering Slovakia have to wait three years for citizenship rights, unless thev are officially acknowledged as being “Slovakised.” One hundred thousand Magyars (Hungarians) will be exchanged for one hundred thousand Slovaks under a new minority exchange agreement between Czechoslovakia and Hungary. A further two hundred thousand Magyars, who were to be repatriated to Hungary, will be permitted to remain in Slovakia as Hungarians, and should be able to obtain Czechoslovak citizenship more easily.