One of the main focuses of Hungarian foreign policy at all times should be the support of the Hungarian national communities living across the border, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated on Thursday.
The head of the ministry received Kajrat Abdrahmanov, the High Commissioner for Minorities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), in Budapest, after which he emphasized that the government views the Hungarians across the border as a resource, as a link between Hungary and the neighboring states, the ministry said in a statement.
He emphasized that although international law establishes the rights of national minorities at several points, unfortunately, these guarantees are not always and not everywhere valid.
Péter Szijjártó reported that there were no serious minority issues with Croatia and Slovenia, and that we currently have the best relations with Serbia, even on a historical scale, which is also reflected in the quality of life of the Hungarian national community living there. He pointed out that there were serious conflicts with Slovakia and Romania in the past, but significant progress has been made in recent years, and at the same time, the Hungarian community is currently facing extremely serious challenges in Ukraine. He said that the government is striving for a solution there as well, but at the same time emphasized that the enforcement of minority rights is not a bilateral issue, but an international legal matter.
The minister underlined that Hungary did everything for good neighborly relations, sent one hundred and ten ventilators to Ukraine, gave vacations to 2,400 children of families affected by the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and financed economic development programs in Transcarpathia. After that, our clear, legitimate and legitimate expectation is that Ukraine ensures the enforcement of the rights of the Hungarian national community in all respects - said Kajrat Abdrahmanov.
He said that he is conducting a regular dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities on the matter, and that the issue will remain on the agenda in the future. He added that he sees signs of progress and urges both parties to find mutually acceptable solutions that can improve the situation of Transcarpathian Hungarians and the relationship between the two countries.
