Ukraine’s ambassador to Budapest is to be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade due to the attack on the Ungvár (Uzhhorod) central office of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ), the Minister said on the public service television news channel M1 on Tuesday.

Péter Szijjártó said he had spoken to László Brenzovics, President of the Association in the early hours of the morning. The President informed him that, according to the findings of the authorities, the organisation’s headquarters had been the subject of yet another attack; this was the second attack in a month.

“There is an absolutely unbelievable process under way” in Ukraine, extremist political forces are in the ascendency, the Minister stated.

This is reflected in the laws passed by Ukrainian Parliament which gravely restrict the rights of minorities, while this process is likewise reflected in the fact that members of the Hungarian national community are continually intimidated in Transcarpathia, he said.

Mr Szijjártó highlighted this is unacceptable, and if Ukraine is serious about its aspiration to seek accession to the EU and NATO, it must be able to keep extremists under control.

He said on Tuesday Ukraine’s ambassador to Budapest will be summoned to the Ministry, and the Hungarian consul general in Ungvár as well as the Hungarian ambassador to Kiev who recently came back to Hungary to attend the conference of ambassadors will be sent back with immediate effect.

Additionally, the Foreign Minister will meet with the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and will repeatedly initiate that the organisation’s special observer mission should engage in its activities not only in the Eastern part of Ukraine, but should also establish a permanent presence in the country’s Western part, in Transcarpathia.

The Foreign Minister observed the government would cover the renovation costs and would provide the Association with the funds necessary for its continued operation until the renovation works are completed.

Unknown perpetrators set the KMKSZ headquarters on fire in the centre of Ungvár. A considerable part of the building burnt out completely. This was the second attack on the Association’s central office in a month. The previous unsuccessful arson attempt was carried out on 4 February. The Ukrainian authorities pressed charges against two Polish citizens in connection with the arson attempt.

(MTI)