The parliament in Budapest passed legislation Wednesday making it easier for ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries to acquire Hungarian citizenship, and drew immediate countermeasures from Slovakia.

Slovakia's parliament responded hours later by approving a proposal to strip citizenship from Slovaks who also become citizens of another country. The new law would take effect July 17 if signed by President Ivan Gasparovic, as expected.

Slovakia was once part of Hungary and is home to about 520,000 ethnic Hungarians.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi said Slovakia's "retaliation" was unjustified. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said possible dual citizenship posed a "security risk" for Slovakia.

The measures received overwhelming support from each country's lawmakers. The Hungarian legislation passing in a 344-3 vote with five abstentions, and in Slovakia the changes were approved 90-7.

Hungary's new law is expected to take effect Aug. 20, a national holiday celebrating St. Stephen, the country's first king, but would be start to be applied only in Jan. 1, 2011.

Citizens from Hungary's seven neighboring countries _ Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria _ would be able to apply for Hungarian citizenship if their ancestors were once Hungarian citizens or if they could prove that they have Hungarian ancestry and speak Hungarian.

Applicants cannot have a criminal record and their citizenship cannot pose a risk to Hungary's public safety and national security.

Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory and half its population in peace treaties drawn after World War I, which dismantled the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In Slovakia, the amended law compels Slovaks who also acquire the citizenship of another country to inform authorities immediately or pay a fine of euro3,319 ($4,060). Additionally, state employees in positions that require Slovak citizenship, such as lawmakers, police officers and secret service agents, will lose their jobs if they become dual citizens.

Tensions between the two countries escalated last year when Slovakia passed a language law seen as limiting the cultural rights of minorities there, including Hungarians. It peaked in August, when Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom was banned from entering Slovakia on a private visit to unveil a statue of St. Stephen.

Domestic politics are also playing a role in the conflict. Slovakia will hold national elections on June 12. Hungary's center-right Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister-designate Viktor Orban, won a two-thirds parliamentary majority in April and the new government will be sworn in Saturday.

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Associated Press writer Karel Janicek in Ostrava, Czech Republic, contributed to this report.