Hungary gives Ukraine diplomatic response, but continues offering humanitarian aid

Hungary is giving Ukraine a diplomatic response to the unacceptable changes to its education act, while at the same time continuing to offer humanitarian aid, the Hungarian state secretary for relations with churches, ethnic minorities and civil society said in Budapest on Saturday.

We are not going to “waver” when it comes to the diplomatic steps the foreign ministry has taken, as long as our neighbouring country fails to return to the path it has followed in the past years, Miklós Soltész said, bidding farewell to the last group of Ukrainian children who spent their summer holiday in Hungary.

At the same time, if Ukraine or the Ukrainian community in Hungary requests it, we will continue to offer humanitarian aid, he added.

Hungary and the Hungarian government give and have given all manner of support to Ukraine, in the area of European Union integration, improving its economic situation, achieving visa-free travel in the EU and in the area of humanitarian aid, Soltész said.

The path on which Ukraine has now started is not the European path and not a path of community, he said, noting that Ukraine has the means to withdraw the amendments before they come into force from September of next year.

The amendments would ban the use of minorities’ mother tongues in public school instruction beyond the age of ten.

Soltész said that Hungary had sent more than 200 tonnes of food as well as medical supplies to Ukraine in the past years. It has also provided rehabilitation for Ukrainian soldiers in Hungary, while inviting the children of injured or fallen soldiers on summer holidays. Almost 2,000 such children have spent one week in Hungary on holiday over the past three years, he added.

Source: MTI