The Rada passed a law on the language of education, which Hungary had insisted on
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a law regulating the right of children from national minorities and indigenous peoples to receive an education in their native language. At the same time, they are required to study Ukrainian. The bill was supported by 266 members of parliament. Its passage may help unblock negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, which had been stalled by Hungary.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted Bill No. 16119 on the education of children from national minorities and indigenous peoples of Ukraine in its entirety. A total of 266 members of parliament voted in favor of the final decision. During the initial review stage, 273 lawmakers supported the bill in principle. The law stipulates that children from national minorities and indigenous peoples may receive an education in their native language. At the same time, the study of the state language—Ukrainian—remains a mandatory requirement.
The document addresses the language rights of children in the field of education. Its adoption is also significant for Ukraine’s relations with Hungary, which has repeatedly raised the issue of protecting the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Ukraine. Following the vote, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada was instructed to sign the law without delay and submit it to the President of Ukraine for signature.
Why This Is Important for Negotiations with the European Union
The adoption of the law could help Ukraine make progress in its negotiations for accession to the European Union. Hungary had previously blocked further progress in this process, citing the need to ensure the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, particularly the right to receive education in their native language. Negotiations on EU accession proceed along specific tracks, known as negotiation clusters. Opening the next clusters is one of the stages in this process. Such a decision requires the consent of all EU member states, which is why Hungary’s position matters.
The adopted law could be a step toward resolving disputes between Kyiv and Budapest. At the same time, the parliamentary vote alone does not mean that Hungary has definitively withdrawn all its objections.
Hungary may change its position
As previously reported by “Glavkom,” Hungary may stop blocking Ukraine’s progress to the next stage of EU accession negotiations as early as this week. According to journalists, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has instructed Hungarian diplomats not to obstruct the sending of letters to Ukraine and Moldova regarding the possible opening of the next two negotiation clusters—“Internal Market” and “Competitiveness.”
This could be an important step in Ukraine’s further progress toward EU membership. However, opening these negotiation clusters requires a unanimous decision by all EU member states. Therefore, the adoption of the law on the education of national minorities has more than just domestic significance. It may also influence Ukraine’s negotiations with Hungary and its further progress toward European Union membership. The final outcome will depend on the parties’ subsequent decisions. This information comes from a parliamentary session.
