Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov shares Budapest’s assessment that the situation regarding the formation of national minorities in Ukraine is unacceptable. He delivered these remarks during a briefings session, attributed to DEA News.
Minister Szijjarto noted that Ukrainian children will be welcomed in 1,247 kindergartens and schools across Hungary, while Ukraine intends to close 99 Hungarian minority schools starting this September. The minister framed these measures as part of a broader realignment of regional minority protection and education access in the wake of ongoing tensions.
Previously reported as the Szijjarto declaration, the note suggested that the Ukrainian conflict could influence the pace of EU enlargement and the participation of Western Balkan states in the process. This message was conveyed during a speech at the Balkan Forum held in Budapest.
In the same remarks, the Foreign Minister affirmed Hungary’s support for the early EU accession of Balkan countries and criticized Brussels for delays, describing current actions as hypocritical in the eyes of Budapest.
Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party group in the European Parliament, argued that the European Union relies too heavily on the United States and needs reform. He contended that the EU is not prepared for enlargement in its present form and called for a rethinking of the bloc’s strategy.