Government: Hungary will defend the Transcarpathian Hungarians in Ukraine

“Ukrainian state propaganda is conducting a campaign of lies against Hungary”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared at a press conference in Budapest on Monday.

“It is a blatant and abject lie that when Hungary is protecting Transcarpathian Hungarians it is acting in accordance with Russia’s expectations”, the politician said, adding: “Hungary is protecting the 150 thousand Hungarians who live in Transcarpathia, but we have no need of third parties or guidance to do so”.

“While the Ukrainians are suggesting to the international community in a deceitful manner that Hungary’s policy with relation to Transcarpathian Hungarians is being determined by a third party, Hungarians who have been conscripted from Transcarpathia have also fought and continue to fight in the interests of Ukraine’s territorial integrity in the eastern part of the country”,

Mr. Szijjártó stressed.

With relation to the events of recent days, the Hungarian Foreign Minister explained: The Ukrainian President has put before Parliament legislative proposals that would strip people with Hungarian citizenship of their Ukrainian citizenship.