Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine – Ukraine’s move is pathetic and a nonsense, says FM Szijjártó

Issues around minorities cannot be considered domestic affairs “under any European or international law”, the Hungarian foreign minister said on Tuesday.

In a video posted on Facebook, Péter Szijjártó noted the Ukraine foreign ministry’s recent summoning of the Hungarian ambassador and banning the entry of two Hungarian officials saying that they had interfered with Ukraine’s domestic affairs.

Szijjártó insisted that Ukraine’s interpretation of “interference” was not clear, whether it referred to “the Hungarian government’s sending 50 ventilators to Ukraine…, Hungary being the only country allowing Ukrainian nationals transit to Western Europe, or the Hungarian central budget financing the revitalisation of one of the most polluted rivers in Ukraine”.

Ukraine’s move is “pathetic and a nonsense”, while it sends the message that the country has “given up its endeavours towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and waived its need for Hungary’s support in the process”,

Szijjártó said, adding that aspirants for integration needed unanimous member support both in the EU and in NATO.

The Hungarian government continues to be ready to build good neighbourly relations and conduct a dialogue “but the recent period has demonstrated that this readiness is unilateral”, Szijjártó said.

The minister assured Transcarpathian Hungarians of his government’s full support and congratulated ethnic Hungarian party KMKSZ on its “historic, landslide” victory in Ukraine’s recent municipal elections.

• Ukraine objects, they claim the Hungarian government interferes with their local elections

Source: MTI