Hungary wants language guarantees for Transcarpathia
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated that Budapest expects Ukraine to provide guarantees for the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. This refers to the right to use their native language in schools, cultural life, and government institutions.
According to the Hungarian prime minister, negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU are not linked to the issue of unfreezing European funds for Hungary. At the same time, Budapest insists that Kyiv fulfill the 11 demands that the Hungarian side has already officially communicated.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated during a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Budapest continues to demand guarantees from Ukraine for the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. According to him, this issue remains a matter of principle for the Hungarian government. “For us, the most important thing is that we need guarantees for the 100,000 Hungarians living in Ukraine that they will be able to use their native language in school, at cultural events, and in public administration,” Magyar said.
He also emphasized that the right to use one’s native language is a fundamental human right. “There is nothing unusual about this. Both in Europe and around the world, this is a human right,” the Hungarian prime minister added.
What Demands Is Budapest Talking About?
Mátyás reminded that Hungary has already submitted a list of 11 demands to Ukraine. The details of all the points have not been officially disclosed, but most of them concern the language rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. Budapest wants ethnic Hungarians to be able to use their native language more widely in education, local self-government, and public life.
This issue has remained one of the most complex in relations between Kyiv and Budapest for several years. Following changes to Ukraine’s language legislation, Hungary has repeatedly criticized Ukraine and blocked certain decisions at the NATO and EU levels. Ukrainian authorities have previously stated that they are open to dialogue, but have emphasized that legislation must take into account the interests of the entire state and issues of national security.
What Magyar said about EU funds
During a press conference, the Hungarian prime minister also denied that the opening of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union could be linked to the unfreezing of European funds for Hungary. “There was absolutely no connection between the unfreezing of funds and the opening of the first chapter of negotiations regarding Ukraine,” he stated.
As a reminder, the EU has previously had repeated disputes with the Hungarian government over issues of the rule of law, judicial independence, and media freedom. Because of this, some funding for Budapest was temporarily blocked.
Negotiations between Kyiv and Budapest are ongoing
According to Magyar, technical consultations are currently underway between Ukraine and Hungary. He expressed hope that Kyiv would take the Hungarian side’s demands into account and amend the legislation. After that, according to the prime minister, the foreign ministers of both countries may join the negotiations.
Hungary remains one of the EU countries that most frequently publicly criticizes Ukraine on issues related to national minorities. At the same time, official Budapest continues to express support for Ukrainian citizens and humanitarian aid.
Why is the issue of Zakarpattia so sensitive?
A large Hungarian community lives in Transcarpathia. According to various estimates, this amounts to approximately 100,000–150,000 people. Precisely for this reason, the language issue has long been part of Budapest’s domestic policy. Hungarian authorities regularly assert the need to protect the rights of their compatriots abroad.
In Ukraine, however, officials emphasize that all citizens have equal rights regardless of nationality, but the state language must remain the primary language in the public sphere. Despite complex discussions, Kyiv and Budapest have recently been trying to maintain direct dialogue to avoid further deterioration of relations.
Hungary’s new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, has made high-profile statements regarding the situation of the Hungarian national minority in Ukraine and the European Union’s future economic relations with the Russian Federation.
The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Hungary, Andriy Sibiga and Anita Orbán, held their first in-person meeting on May 22. During talks in Helsingborg, the parties agreed to hold a second round of expert-level consultations next week to further discuss bilateral issues.
Earlier, the Hungarian government commented on the massive attack by Russian drones on Zakarpattia, during which the region’s critical infrastructure was struck. Budapest described the situation in the border region as extremely alarming and announced that it was preparing urgent countermeasures.
