Hungary stalls Ukraine's EU bid over minority rights concerns

Authorities in Budapest are attempting to stall the initiation of Ukraine's discussions for joining the European Union. To achieve this, Hungary has circulated a document addressing the protection of national minorities among EU member states. The document emphasizes Hungary's demand for Ukraine to "fulfill its obligations" regarding national minorities.

According to Beata Płomecka, the Brussels correspondent for Polish Radio, the primary focus of the document Hungary distributed to the EU countries is the safeguarding of national minorities. Hungary intends to broach this subject at the forthcoming EU ministers' meeting for European affairs in Brussels, Polish Radio added.

Prospective EU members are required to satisfy a set of qualifications, including the safeguarding of national minorities. Within the document, the Hungarian government calls for the reinstatement of the national minorities' rights in Ukraine to the status they held prior to 2015.

The document reiterates Hungary's call for Ukraine to "fulfill its obligations." Hungary contends that the decline in the condition of national minorities in Ukraine occurred post-2015. Budapest is urging Kyiv to implement amendments concerning the education rights of national minorities and to reconsider the administrative territorial division of the country, ensuring political representation at both regional and national levels.