The war does not entitle Ukraine to the restriction of its rights, nor does it exempt it from fulfilling the accession requirements imposed by the European Union on candidate states.
Katalin Szili explained her position on the issue at the podium discussion of the 32nd Bálványosi Summer Free University and Student Camp entitled Minority Rights in War and Peace.
The chief adviser to the Prime Minister stated: obviously, peacemaking is of primary importance, but if Ukraine is important to EU rapprochement, then it is important to fulfill the requirements that the EU imposes on all other candidate countries.
Katalin Szili drew attention to the narrowing of rights (affecting the language, cultural and educational rights of national minorities) that has taken place since 2017, when Ukraine became an associated country of the EU. He emphasized: the minority law adopted in December 2022 directly imposes an assimilation obligation on persons belonging to national minorities.
This is obviously not only a step back compared to the situation before 2017, but a process: as Ukraine approaches the EU, it simultaneously reduces the rights of national minorities, emphasized the Prime Minister's Chief Advisor.
As he said: the primary task now is obviously to create peace, in which, according to him, the EU also has a distinguished responsibility.
The Union is not concerned with bringing the parties to the table and trying to moderate peacemaking, but instead feeds the war situation by providing resources for this in the future.
On the other hand, according to Katalin Szili, the war situation does not mean that Hungary should now remain silent on national minority issues, just as Romania and all other neighboring countries also speak up regarding their own national minorities. Ukraine cannot be exempted from fulfilling the conditions of the European Union, the legal protection of national minorities must be strengthened.
"Those of our minorities that live in blocks should have the opportunity to self-manage, and those that live scattered should have the opportunity to realize autonomy based on cultural and personal principles, as is customary elsewhere in Europe," detailed Katalin Szili.
He reminded: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's efforts are aimed at moving Central Europe in the direction of a new reconciliation, in to the peace ending the war These countries are interdependent and their cooperation can only lead to a win-win situation. But reconciliation is definitely a prerequisite for Europe to have a new center of gravity - explained the prime minister's chief adviser.
MTI
