Hungary demands that all of Transcarpathia be recognized as “traditionally Hungarian.” Among Hungary’s 11 demands for the protection of the rights of national minorities, the key stumbling block is the identification of places in Ukraine with a special level of guarantee of the rights of Hungarians.
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This is stated in the EP article. This norm is also in the current legislation of Ukraine: we are talking about cities and villages “with a significant number” of minority representatives (from 15%) and with “traditional” minority residence (from 10% over the last 100 years).
However, this was not enough for Budapest, and they demanded that all settlements in Transcarpathia be automatically recognized as “traditionally Hungarian,” even those in which Hungarians had never historically lived.
In Hungary, they cite the fact that in the Transcarpathian region, according to the census of 2001 and previous years, the share of Hungarians was more than 10%.
Hungary also demands that Ukraine refuse the decision of local councils in this process and make the assignment of status automatic.
Hungary is categorically demanding that only the 2001 census be used, despite the fact that since then the number of Hungarians living in Transcarpathia has almost halved.
The key thing is that the Orban government directly calls this block the defining one for the entire complex of 11 demands.
At the end of January, Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó, during a visit to Uzhgorod, handed over to the Ukrainian side a list of 11 demands that should guarantee the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
On June 25, Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to fulfill Hungarian demands.
We are also talking about Kyiv changing a number of Ukrainian laws, giving special rights to the Hungarian minority and even changing the Constitution.
The most resonant: recognition of schools with even one Hungarian class – Hungarian, abolition of the norm on what percentage of Hungarians must live in a certain territory to recognize it as Hungarian, amendments to the electoral legislation to ensure the representation of Hungarians in the Verkhovna Rada, not requiring such government officials know the official language, allowing them to use Hungarian.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.