Leaders of Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia have appealed to the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, and the Chairman of the European Council, Charles Michel, requesting support for the commencement of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.
The appeal, obtained by "European Truth" on December 11, emphasizes the significant progress made by Ukraine over the past year in implementing the recommendations of the European Commission regarding the protection of the rights of national minorities. The leaders highlight their full support for a new bill passed by the Ukrainian parliament, which reflects the interests of national minorities. They urge all leaders of EU member states to continue supporting Ukraine on its path to European integration.
The leaders stress that Ukraine's progress in ensuring democracy and the rights of national minorities is an integral part of the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership. The appeal is signed by Zoltan Babak, Head of the Berehove Municipal Territorial Community; Karlo Rezesz, Head of the Berehove District Council; Laszlo Zubanich, Head of the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Ukraine (UMDS); Josip Rezesz, Head of the "Foundation for Ukrainian-Hungarian Regional Youth Development"; and Judita Petei, a deputy of the Zakarpattia Regional Council. These leaders represent all key Hungarian associations, except KMKC (Society for Hungarian Culture of Transcarpathia), whose leader, Laszlo Brenzovych, has been in Hungary for several years, facing criminal charges in Ukraine.
To recap, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Hungary has openly taken a pro-Russian stance. Budapest actively opposes providing military assistance to Kyiv, attempts to block sanctions against Russia, and Hungarian top politicians regularly make scandalous statements regarding "reconciliation with Russia." Additionally, Hungary opposes Ukraine's accession to the EU in the near future.
Specifically, after the European Commission recommended starting negotiations with Ukraine on EU accession, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated his opposition to the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine, claiming that the country is "not ready for it." The political director of the Hungarian prime minister, Balazs Orban, stated that Budapest would block the start of negotiations with Ukraine on EU accession. One of the arguments for this position by the Hungarian government is the alleged "violation of the rights of Hungarians in Transcarpathia."
