Hungary refuses support for Ukraine’s integration efforts

Hungary refuses to support Ukraine’s integration efforts and this is why it has vetoed the convening of the December meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday.

Up until early September, Hungary had been among the “loudest and most active supporters” of Ukraine’s integration efforts but the approval of the Ukrainian education law has been seen by Hungary as a “stab in the back”.

“We would still be happy” to support Ukraine’s integration efforts but Hungary will only support countries whose decisions and behaviour justify this, he added.

When Ukraine’s parliament approved the education law, Hungary immediately stated that all diplomatic means would be used to make Ukrainian legislators withdraw the legislation which “brutally violates” the rights of ethnic minorities living in the country. The law represents a serious step back in the area of minority rights which “must not be left unmentioned”, Szijjártó said. At the same time, he said, Hungary is still open to consultations.