Hungary's Foreign Minister sees positive shift in talks with Kyiv on minority rights

Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said in an interview with Telex that she expects positive results next month in cooperation with Ukraine on the issue of national minorities. She said the two countries had managed to resolve misunderstandings in their relations, including a dispute related to the so-called "Carpathian Eight."

Orbán said that during the week of meetings around the UN General Assembly, she met several times with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. She added that she is in daily contact with Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, who oversees a bill intended to settle the educational rights of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia.

Bill expected in October

According to Hungary's top diplomat, the bill is expected to be brought before Ukraine's parliament no later than October. She noted that regarding minority rights issues in Zakarpattia, she currently maintains daily contact with Ukraine's foreign minister, while communication with the deputy prime minister happens by phone depending on how events develop.

As previously reported, on September 1 Hungary again refused to approve the screening results for clusters 2 and 3 for Ukraine, demanding that Ukraine take certain legislative steps regarding the Hungarian national minority.