Budapest to block Ukraine's EU accession over "infringement of Hungarians' rights" in Zakarpattia, says Hungary's foreign minister

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has again claimed that Ukraine is violating the rights of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia, stating that Hungary will block Ukraine’s EU accession until the issue is resolved.

Source: Szijjártó again accused Ukraine of violating the rights of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia, claiming that despite their promises, the Ukrainian authorities "have not restored the rights taken away in 2015".

Quote: "Today, I had a phone conversation with my new Austrian counterpart about the ongoing violations of the rights of the Hungarian community in Zakarpattia. I highly appreciate Beate Meinl-Reisinger's willingness to help, but the situation remains the same: despite constant promises and fine words, the Ukrainian government has not restored the minority rights that have been taken away from the Hungarian community since 2015.

Therefore, as long as this regrettable situation persists, there can be no progress in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations."

Background:

• Hungary has blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine and is demanding that the list of requirements for Kyiv be expanded.
• On 20 March, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the EU to find a tool to overcome Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's blockages.
• Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka stated that his country wants Ukraine to be a "buffer zone" between Russia and the EU. According to him, Donald Trump's return to the White House means that the EU should no longer support Ukraine with weapons or money.

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