V4 in Kiev – Ukrainian PM pledges to settle language-law issue

Kiev, February 28 (MTI) – Ukraine’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Arsenij Yatsenyuk, pledged to the Visegrad Four foreign ministers that Ukraine would settle the language-law issue promptly, Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi told MTI in Kiev today.

Yatsenyuk admitted that scrapping the 2012 language law last Sunday had been an incorrect step.

“In the current situation, and particularly in view of the Crimean events, protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity should be a priority. To this effect, Ukraine’s eastern part should be given concessions so that the Crimean conflict does not spread over to the eastern and southern regions,” Martonyi said.

He said the V4 had an interest in a stable and democratic Ukraine that fully respects human and minority rights and retains its territorial integrity.

The V4 ministers exchanged views with Yatsenyuk, acting foreign minister Andriy Deshchytsya, head of the Udar party, Vitaly Klitschko, and parliamentary leader of the Party of Regions, Oleksandr Efremov.

Both Yatsenyuk and Deshchytsya said the new government would be ready to sign the EU association agreement including free trade, he said.

Efremov said that the Party of Regions would not challenge the legitimacy of the government. Instead, it will act as a constructive opposition and contribute to restoring Ukraine’s stability.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters