Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has said his country will stop blocking Ukraine's integration into NATO if amendments to education and language laws are adopted.
"If it's about education, the Hungarians living in Ukraine had had a 100% opportunity to study in their native language until the 'education law' was adopted. Therefore, we at least expect an amendment that will restore the rights of the Hungarians, which they had. As for the 'language law,' it practically 'kills' the chances of using the Hungarian language in state administration, culture, and media. Thus, the amendment that will allow the Hungarians to use their native language in these areas will fully satisfy us," he said in an interview with the Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service.
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Szijjártó said Hungary was pinning new hopes on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"I want to tell you frankly, we see the new president of Ukraine as a new hope. I must be honest with you: we felt that former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was pursuing an anti-Hungarian policy. I don't know whether it was done on purpose or for other reasons. But without a doubt, the result of all his decisions was a clear policy against Hungary," he said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Yehor Bozhok invited Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine István Íjgyártó to "explain the logic behind Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjártó's signals" at the Ukraine Reform Conference in Toronto, Canada.
The relations between Ukraine and Hungary have deteriorated after the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a new law on education. Hungary is blocking the holding of meetings of the Ukraine-NATO Commission, alleging a violation of the rights of Hungarians living in Ukraine, over the provision of the education law stipulating that the language of instruction in educational facilities be the state language (Ukrainian).
