“Hungary is continuing to work to solve the situation of Transcarpathian Hungarians, and for the issue of access to language use and native language education to be resolved”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at an online press conference on Thursday.

Following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, Mr. Szijjártó explained that originally the Ukrainian politician was meant to make an official visit to Budapest on Thursday to come to an agreement with relation to the language use of the Hungarian minority and their access to native language education, as well as to engage in further discussions with relation to the Prime Minister’s visit to Ukraine. However, in view of the coronavirus situation the forms of foreign policy contact have also changed, and the parties held a meeting within the framework of a video conference, which regrettably provides a limited opportunity to discuss difficult and sensitive issues, he explained.

“Hungary and Ukraine agree that Transcarpathia must be a success story from the perspective of both countries, and this mutual understanding provides hope that we will also be able to resolve the difficult issues”, he highlighted. “However, Hungary will not lift its blocking of NATO-Ukraine Council meetings until a solution is found for the enforcement of the rights of the Hungarian community”, the Foreign Minister emphasised.

There is hope that the reform of Ukraine’s public administration could result in the creation of a district in Berehove (Beregszász), in which Hungarians form the majority, and “we hope that the related fears in Ukraine can be overcome”, Mr. Szijjártó stated.

The Minister told reporters that he and his Ukrainian counterpart had spoken at length about the coronavirus pandemic, and this is another issue with respect to which both neighbouring countries must depend on each other. “Ukraine will also be introducing stricter border protection measures, and from this weekend people will only be able to cross the border by car or on foot, but not by bus or train”, he added.

The Minister also said that Ukraine had expressed its thanks with relation to the fact that Hungary has afforded Ukrainian citizens stranded in Western Europe a transit opportunity. “While the Ukrainians follow the rules and the Ukrainian border security authorities perform their duties at sufficient speed to ensure that no traffic jams occur in Hungary, this opportunity will remain open”, he stated. “The unrestricted flow of goods between the two countries must also be assured”, he noted.

Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that the two politicians had also reviewed opportunities for developing economic cooperation. “The validity of the 50-million-euro tied aid loan made available by Hungary for infrastructure development in Transcarpathia has been extended by one year, to enable decisions concerning development projects to be made after the current difficult situation”, he stated.

“We have also achieved progress with relation to the opening of a new border crossing point between Nagyhódos and Velika Palagy (Nagypalád). We will be refurbishing the bridge at Záhony, and the M3 motorway will extend all the way to the border, and there is a willingness on the other side to construct the road link”, Mr. Szijjártó said, adding that the Joint Committee for Cross-Border Cooperation will be convened once the virus situation is resolved.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the press that three inter-governmental agreements had been concluded: on the use of renewable energy sources, epidemiological cooperation, and on the mutual acceptance of diplomas and academic degrees issued by the two countries.

“It is good news that, based on the agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Russia will continue to transport natural gas to Central Europe via Ukraine”, Mr. Szijjártó stated. “This does not mean that we have given up our diversification aspirations, and on Thursday in Sofia we will also be discussing the state of construction of the southern gas pipeline to assure that Hungary is able to produce natural gas via a new route at the earliest opportunity”, the Foreign Minister emphasised.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/ MTI)