Hungarian parties summon Ukrainian ambassador over education law

The foreign minister has summoned the ambassador of Ukraine for Monday to state Hungary’s objections to Ukraine’s “shameful and disgraceful” education law amendment impacting minorities, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

In response to the amendment, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, has issued a directive under which Hungarian diplomats would not support any initiative by Ukraine in international organisations or decisions benefitting that country, the statement said.

Hungary will also raise the subject at UN, OSCE and EU forums, the statement said.

The statement noted that the Ukrainian legislation curbs minorities’ rights to use their mother tongue in education. It added that the foreign ministry’s measures have also been prompted by an “unacceptable response” given by the Ukrainian foreign minister at Hungary’s inquiry at a recent informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Tallinn.

Opposition parties staged a protest in central Budapest on Sunday to protest against a recent Ukrainian law amendment, which restricts the access of ethnic minorities in that country to education in their native tongue.

Photo: MTI

The demonstration was attended by some 100 supporters of the Socialist Party, Democratic Coalition (DK), LMP, Együtt, Dialogue, Liberal Party, Momentum, and MoMa. Participants condemned the Ukrainian legislation and voiced solidarity with the minorities it impacts.

Radical nationalist Jobbik had indicated earlier that it would stay away from the protest because some of the organising parties had “betrayed ethnic Hungarians on a number of occasions”.

Under the new law, education in minority languages in Ukraine would be restricted to kindergartens and primary schools.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI