Ukraine is waiting for an apology from the Hungarian side for the action of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who came to a football match in a scarf with a map on which Transcarpathia is depicted as part of Ukraine.
The Hungarian government continues to cause conflicts in Ukraine. The closest allies of the dictator Vladimir Putin in the EU not only put spokes in the wheels of anti-Russian sanctions and aid to Ukraine, but also continue to try to investigate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country .
What happened
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives at a friendly football match between the national teams of Hungary and Greece in Budapest with a scarf depicting a map of the so-called “Greater Hungary” with parts of neighboring states in its composition.
The Hungarian prime minister began filming himself and taking pictures in a scarf with a map of Hungary with parts of the EU countries of Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Croatia. In addition, the map of “Greater Hungary” includes the regions of today’s Serbia and Ukraine. These territories belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary until the end of the First World War.
Reaction
Romanian MEP Alin Mituta said on Twitter that for such things EU leaders should punish and isolate Orban.
“This is another irresponsible step by Viktor Orban, who appeared with a scarf with a map of Greater Hungary. This is a revisionist gesture that puts Orban next to Putin, who also dreams of changing the borders. He should be punished with EU leaders and isolate him from the European Council,” Mituza said.
Romania considers any form of revisionist expression unacceptable, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Foreign Ministry conveyed to the Hungarian Ambassador in Bucharest its strong disapproval of the behavior of the Hungarian official, contrary to the atmosphere of openness and continuation of bilateral dialogue amid the recent consultations held by the Romanian Foreign Minister in Budapest together with his Hungarian counterpart and the Hungarian Prime Minister”, the statement said.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response it had summoned the Hungarian ambassador.
The Foreign Ministry pointed out to the ambassador that the public appearance of Orban in a scarf with the image of Hungary with part of the Ukrainian territory is unacceptable.
“It was noted that Ukraine expects an apology for this incident and hopes that in the future the Hungarian side will refrain from measures that could be considered disrespectful to the territorial integrity of our state,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The attention of the Hungarian diplomat was drawn to the fact that such actions do not contribute to the development of good relations between Ukraine and Hungary,” the ministry said.
Not for the first time
This is not the first time that Orban has been angered by the mention of “Greater Hungary”. In 2020, he published a picture of a globe that also shows the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary before the end of the First World War. This case caused irritation, especially in Croatia and Romania.
Under the Treaty of Trianon in 1920, the Kingdom of Hungary lost a large part of its former territory. In Hungary, it is still considered a great historical shame.
Since Orban’s tenure as prime minister began, disputes have continued between Hungary and neighboring countries over the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in the kingdom’s former territories. Thus, during the Orban governments, representatives of national minorities generously handed out Hungarian passports, including those in Ukrainian Transcarpathia.
Orban’s acquittal
“Football is not politics. Let’s not look at what is not there. The Hungarian national team is the team of all Hungarians, no matter where they live! ” Orban wrote on his Facebook page, after angering his actions. Such an argument, let’s face it.
Source: korrespondent
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.