Hungary blocks Ukraine's NATO and EU integration over Zakarpattia Hungarians issue

The New Voice of Ukraine
·1 min read
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The Hungarian flag at the entrance to the city council building in Berehove
The Hungarian flag at the entrance to the city council building in Berehove

Hungary has impeded Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration talks over what Budapest views as Kyiv curtailing the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia Oblast, Hungarian Foreign Ministry Secretary of State, Levente Magyar, said on Sept. 15.

He made this claim during a meeting of the Hungarian-Ukrainian intergovernmental working group that aims to resolve these issues.

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According to him, in recent years, the Ukrainian state has implemented several measures that limit the right of Zakarpattia Hungarians to study in their native language.

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"This is so important to us that we have blocked Ukraine's entry and closer relations with the EU and NATO," Hungarian outlet Index quotes Magyar.

He also said nothing will change unless there is significant movement in restoring these rights. The current technical discussions will be about how to achieve this.

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At the same time, the official expressed optimism that an agreement could be reached on a roadmap for resolving the dispute.

The report notes that the Ukrainian government has shown leniency and is ready to negotiate about the rights of the Hungarian ethnic minority in Zakarpattia — a commitment voiced by Ukraine's Deputy PM Olha Stefanishyna.

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