Anti-Slovak incidents reported in NW Hungary

Unknown perpetrators poured bright red paint on the statue of Friedrich von Habsburg (1856-1936) in the northwest Hungarian town of Mosonmagyaróvár yesterday, and the same vandals were likely responsible for anti-Slovak slogans found at two other locations in the town, fn.hu reports.

Police were informed that the statue had been damaged and the word "Hazaárulás" ("Treason") painted in front of it. The same paint was used on the slogans found on the wall of a nearby parking lot and the railing of a bridge.

Police are looking for the perpetrators, said Tünde Kocsis, press chief of Győr-Moson-Sopron County Police. The vandalism comes as tensions between Hungarians and Slovaks have increased due to similar and more violent incidents in Slovakia, which during the Habsburg era was part of Hungary.

Friedrich von Habsburg, founder of the Mosonmagyaróvár academy of agriculture, inherited the Magyaróvár dominion from his grandfather. He and his wife are buried in the crypt of the local church.

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