She was speaking in response to claims made by MP Zsolt Simon
(Most-Híd party) that Slovakia has renounced domestic legislative
support for the Tokaj area. The MP has said “we've done exactly the
opposite to what Hungary has done because Slovakia changed the Tokaj
area to the Tokajská area as of September 1.”
“At a time when
the European Commission was creating its electronic register, Act No.
182 Coll. from 2005 on winegrowing and viticulture was in effect in
Slovakia, with the Act containing the (Tokaj) designation. The current
law also contains the Tokaj designation in several grammatical forms,”
responded Jobbíková.
Regarding the decisive period for the registration of the Tokaj
designation, she said the designation had been protected in Slovakia
for three years while Hungary was only working on its legislation at
that time. “This means that Slovakia has the protected designation of
the Tokaj origin and continues to have the right to use it,” she told
TASR.
Simon was reacting to Agriculture Minister Vladimír Chovan's
statement that the protected wine brand Tokaj has been recognised and
registered by the EU Commission only for Hungary, even though the
wine-producing area extends into south-east Slovakia. Simon is now
calling on Chovan to change legislation to include the 'Tokaj' area and
to approve this in Parliament via fast-tracked proceedings. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.