Hungary explains suspension of talks on minority rights with Ukraine
Photo: Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar (facebook.com/levente.magyar)
Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar has announced the suspension of negotiations with Ukraine regarding the rights of national minorities. The reason for this decision is a special operation carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region just days before the scheduled meeting.
Magyar revealed that on April 29, he held talks with Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna in Budapest. The aim was to give new momentum to bilateral discussions on the rights of the Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia region, particularly regarding the use of their native language. These discussions had reached an impasse in recent months.
He mentioned that he and the Deputy Prime Minister had agreed to resume expert-level talks on May 12.
"However, last night I canceled tomorrow's meeting, as I believe that the events of recent days in Hungarian-Ukrainian relations make it impossible to hold a good-faith, constructive discussion on such an important and sensitive issue as minority rights," he emphasized.
According to him, the fact that a "special operation" was carried out in the Zakarpattia region on Friday, just three days before the crucial meeting, on charges of espionage, casts doubt on the sincerity of the intentions to resolve unresolved issues.
"Let's see what happens in the coming days. For our part, we remain ready for dialogue," he stated.
Earlier today, it became known that Hungary unexpectedly suspended negotiations with Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, the Hungarian side postponed consultations with the Ukrainian delegation, which were scheduled for May 12.
Spy scandal
On May 9, the Security Service of Ukraine uncovered Hungarian military intelligence agents operating in the Zakarpattia region.
This is the first time in Ukraine's history that Hungarian military intelligence agents have been exposed.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded by stating that this information should be viewed as "Ukrainian propaganda."
Moreover, Hungary later expelled two Ukrainian diplomats from the country.
At the same time, on the evening of May 9, a former Ukrainian diplomat was harshly detained in the center of Budapest. He is allegedly suspected of espionage.
Hungarian intelligence services stopped the former diplomat's car in downtown Budapest and detained him on the street. It is important to note that he is no longer a diplomat, but rather a civilian.
For more details about the person who was detained and the overall situation, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
