PM Orbán: these Ukrainians will be expelled from Hungary – minister shares the first 3 names

Ukrainians “participating in forced conscriptions” will be expelled from Hungary immediately, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Facebook on Wednesday.

Orbán: these Ukrainians should not travel freely in the EU

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Wednesday that the country will immediately expel Ukrainian officials involved in forced military conscription after a Hungarian national died in Ukraine.

Government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács shared the remarks on the US social media platform X, writing that “a Hungarian citizen has died as a result of forced conscription in Ukraine,” and authorities are assisting the bereaved family.

In a video message attached to the post, Orbán said the developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war were reviewed in Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting as “a few days ago another Hungarian compatriot of ours fell victim to forced conscription by the Ukrainian authorities.”

“The government decided … the people involved in forced conscription, Ukrainian people, will be immediately expelled from the territory of Hungary,” he added.​​​​​​​

Three Ukrainian military leaders banned – for now

The government has banned three Ukrainian military leaders responsible for forced conscription, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.

Gergely Gulyás said the government had “learnt with sadness that forced conscription continued in Transcarpathia” and called on the Ukrainian authorities to respect fundamental human rights on behalf of the government.

“Last year our compatriot József Sebestyén died due to forced conscription,” he said, and this time a Hungarian man with a heart condition, who had been repeatedly declared unfit for service by Ukrainian authorities, has become a victim, he added.

This is unacceptable even in a country under attack and at war, Gulyás said, indicating that the Hungarian government was “particularly sensitive” to the rights of Hungarians in Transcarpathia being disregarded.

He said the government had decided to ban three military leaders responsible for forced conscription. What happened is also contrary to European norms, therefore, the government has ordered their ban from the Schengen zone, he said.

“And they want to allow this Ukraine to enter the European Union as early as in 2027,” Gulyás said, and the EU wants to give them 1,500 billion euros in aid in several stages. This is why the national petition is of paramount importance, he added.

If you missed our previous articles concerning the war in Ukraine:

• Is conscription returning to Europe? What it means for the EU and Hungary
• Exclusive video: Hungarian-speaking Ukrainian POW appeals for help as volunteer group Mothers’ Shield seeks publicity