Commissioner of the Government of Hungary for Cooperation between Hungary's Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg County and Zakarpattia region, Mr. Istvan Grezsa on November 24 was refused entry into Ukraine due to the existing ban.
This was announced by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry in a statement on its website on Tuesday.
Read alsoLocal elections: Hungarian meddling spat gaining momentum
"A decision to ban foreign citizens from entering is made in line with the procedure that exists in Ukraine's legal field. One of the causes is the establishment of facts of violations by a foreigner of Ukrainian legislation. In the case of Mr. Istvan Grezsa, there were facts of violations of the provisions of Ukraine's Electoral Code recorded in public places, under which foreigners are not allowed to campaign for any of political forces in Ukraine that participates in the electoral process," the ministry's press service said.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that the decision had nothing to do with interstate relations. The ban on entry was related to the "particular citizen's actions having signs of an offense."
"Under the established procedure, a decision to ban a foreigner from entering Ukraine is announced at a checkpoint at the state border of Ukraine. Ukrainian legislation does not provide for the possibility to inform foreigners in advance about including them in the stoplist," the press service added.
The ministry also called on foreign citizens visiting Ukraine, regardless of their posts, to respect Ukrainian legislation.
Hungarian interference in Ukraine's local elections
- According to Civil Network OPORA observers, Hungarian officials campaigned for "KMKSZ" Ukrajnai Magyar Part (the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine) while visiting Zakarpattia region pending local elections in the country.
- On October 26, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest over to Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine Istvan Ijgyarto over the Hungarian officials' involvement in the electoral process in Zakarpattia.
- On October 27, it became known that Kyiv had put two Hungarian officials on the stoplist.
