Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Lluis Maria de Puig, meeting Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai in Budapest on Tuesday, offered to mediate in the Hungarian-Slovak dispute over the new Slovak language law.

Bajnai reiterated the Hungarian government's concern over the amended language law that came into effect on September 1. Hungary sees that law as discriminatory as it sanctions the local minorities, including the Hungarian community, for using their mother tongue in official business.

Bajnai thanked De Puig for his support in opposing discrimination through restricting language use and asked him to help achieve that from next January the Slovak authorities should no longer sanction the use of minority languages.

The assembly president said he fully shared Hungary's concerns and offered to mediate in the issue.

He assured Bajnai that the assembly would keep a close eye on any developments related to that law.

De Puig and Bajnai discussed the social integration of the Roma. De Puig appreciated the steps Hungary's government had already taken and informed Bajnai about the Spanish experience.

Earlier on Tuesday De Puig met President Laszlo Solyom and Parliamentary Speaker Bela Katona.