The criticism Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has received in connection with his “unfriendly” statements about Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations was unwarranted, says Tamás Menczer, state secretary for communications.
Ukraine recently summoned Hungary’s ambassador to Kiev to protest against PM Orbán’s recent speech given in Romania.
Menczer said it was not Hungary that had made unfriendly moves against Ukraine but the other way round, highlighting Ukraine’s education law that prevents national minorities from studying in their mother tongue.
The State Secretary added that extant minority rights are endangered in Ukraine and this flies in the face of its international commitments such as the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the NATO Preparedness Plan.
Menczer said that notwithstanding the “open attack” on the Hungarian minority, Hungary has treated Ukraine with decency, recently having donated several tons of chlorine to the western part of the country in order to ensure a safe supply of drinking water.
“We expect Ukraine to give back rights taken from its national minorities,” he concluded.