Kyiv: Hungarians in Transcarpathia will not receive autonomy
Kyiv will not agree to give autonomy to Hungarians in Ukraine.
Hanna Hopko, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, said this to LB.ua while commenting on a prior statement by the Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine.
“Although MPs and I repeatedly and clearly explained to the Hungarian ambassador to Ukraine – there will be no Hungarian autonomy in Transcarpathian Region," Hopko said.
According to Hopko, Hungary must respect the Constitution of Ukraine as well as the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In addition, Hungary should stop looking for reasons to block Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations in order to please Moscow. "Dear Hungarian neighbours: did you really forget Soviet tanks in Budapest streets in 1956? Today the Kremlin hybrid aggression threatens not only Ukraine but also Central and Eastern Europe, the whole continent. Such statements [about autonomy] either consciously or unconsciously play along the Kremlin aggressor," the MP said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed the same position. " Unfortunately, Mr. Ambassador does not understand clear, repeated and very official explanations that there can be no autonomy in Transcarpathian Region by default. Our constructive proposals regarding the law of education remain unanswered. Parallel reality…” Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Bodnar wrote on Facebook.
Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine Ernő Keskeny said previously in an interview that there is nothing wrong in giving autonomy to national minorities such as Hungarians in Ukraine. "Our politicians say that there is nothing bad in autonomy, and that it is an acceptable model in the European Union," said Keskeny.