Hungary's incoming PM names condition for unblocking Ukraine's movement towards EU membership
Hungary's incoming prime minister Péter Magyar wants greater rights for the Hungarian minority in Ukraine before unblocking Kyiv's progress towards the European Union.
Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Bloomberg sources said the issue arose during a meeting between Magyar and European Council President António Costa in Brussels on Wednesday, as the EU is pressing Magyar to abandon the outgoing government's position of blocking the formal start of Ukraine's accession negotiations.
Magyar set out conditions that largely repeat the list of 11 demands Viktor Orbán presented to Kyiv in 2024. They concern the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine and access to education in Hungarian. European Pravda previously reported on these demands in detail.
Although Magyar described the meeting with Costa as "useful and constructive", sources said the atmosphere was less positive than during his meeting earlier the same day with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. During the talks with Costa, Magyar raised the issue of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
According to an EU representative, the meeting went well and also addressed the EU's budget, competitiveness and last week's informal meeting of EU leaders in Cyprus.
Magyar's firm position is likely to disappoint officials in Kyiv and Brussels who had hoped that Orbán's departure would give new momentum to Ukraine's bid for membership, particularly regarding the formal opening of accession negotiations.
Costa and many EU capitals insist on advancing the stalled process of Ukraine's accession to the EU and want progress in the coming weeks. At last week's summit in Cyprus, EU leaders indicated that the preliminary conditions for launching the first stage of Ukraine's accession process had already been met.
Orbán had blocked the process, arguing that the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine were being infringed. Kyiv said it was ready to fulfil the stated conditions and repeatedly stressed that the rights of the Hungarian minority in the country are protected.
Background:
- Earlier this week, Magyar said he wants to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Zakarpattia in June to discuss the issue.
- Kyiv has not yet confirmed any meeting, as Zelenskyy's schedule for June has not been finalised, his adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists this week.
- Magyar said immediately after the opposition Tisza party's election victory that the issue of national minorities will need to be settled in order to establish good-neighbourly relations with Ukraine.
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