Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday announced a ban on an extreme-right group ahead of talks with his Hungarian counterpart aimed at easing nationalist tensions between the two countries.

`It`s not enough to protest against extremism, we need to act hard against it,` Fico said in a statement on the banning of the Slovenska Pospolitost (Slovak Community) group.

`The Slovak Community was instigating hatred and intolerance based on national, racial, religious and political reasons ... which violates the constitution and law,` he added.

Members of Slovenska Pospolitost are known for wearing Nazi uniforms during nationalist commemorations. The group operates as a civic organisation since the Supreme court opposed in 2006 its registration as a political party.

The move comes amid nationalist tensions between Hungary and Slovakia.

Relations worsened after Slovak and Hungarian fans clashed during a recent Slovak premier soccer league match in the south Slovakian town of Dunajska Streda, near the Slovak-Hungarian border.

Last week, Bratislava called on Budapest to clamp down on extremism after a week of anti-Slovak rallies, including a flag-burning protest in Budapest.

The Slovak prime minister is to meet his Hungarian counterpart Ferenc Gyurcsany on Satuday in a bid to ease the situation.

The historically tense relations between the two countries took a further hit when the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS) joined the left-dominated government coalition in 2006. Its leader Jan Slota is known for his inflammatory rhetoric against Romas and Hungarians.