Rada committee backs education bill meant to help lift Hungary's veto
A Ukrainian parliamentary education committee unanimously backed a bill on education rights for indigenous peoples and national minorities, which officials say could help remove Hungary's block on opening two EU accession negotiation clusters.
The education committee of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada has unanimously recommended that parliament adopt a bill addressing the educational rights of indigenous peoples and national minorities.
Deputy Prime Minister Vsevolod Chentsov announced the decision, stressing the bill's potential significance for Ukraine's path toward European Union membership. According to him, the legislation could help persuade Hungary to stop blocking the opening of two negotiation clusters in Ukraine's EU accession process.
Hungary has long resisted Ukraine's progress toward EU membership, partly citing concerns about the protection of national minority rights, including those of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine. The new bill directly addresses this issue by strengthening educational rights for both indigenous peoples and national minorities in Ukraine.
The committee's unanimous support signals broad political consensus within the Ukrainian parliament regarding the bill. The document now moves forward for further consideration in the Verkhovna Rada.
The question of opening EU accession negotiation clusters remains especially important for Ukraine, which continues pushing for European integration despite the ongoing war. Hungary's veto has been one of the main obstacles in this process, so passage of the new law could mark a significant step toward further progress in the negotiations.
