- Ukraine's parliament passed legislation on Monday that expands the rights of Hungarian speakers and other minorities, with 266 of 450 deputies approving the bill.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed the minority rights bill into law later on Monday.
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Hungarian counterpart Anita Orban in Luxembourg on Monday, where they welcomed the implementation of bilateral agreements.
- Diplomats expect Hungary to approve the opening of two additional clusters at an intergovernmental conference on Tuesday.
- The previous Hungarian government, led by Viktor Orbán, had blocked Ukraine's EU accession talks since 2023 due to a dispute over minority rights.
- In June, new Prime Minister Péter Magyar agreed to an 11-point action plan with Ukraine and lifted Hungary's veto on opening the first two negotiating clusters.
- Budapest made further progress on EU accession conditional on Kyiv formally adopting minority rights legislation.
- Magyar indicated that he and Zelenskyy could meet at the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Ukraine's parliament passed a law on minority rights on Monday, enhancing protections for Hungarian speakers and other minorities, which is expected to ease tensions with Hungary and facilitate Ukraine's EU accession process.12
The legislation, approved by 266 of the 450 deputies in the Verkhovna Rada, allows for education in minority languages and cultural events, addressing long-standing issues between Kyiv and Budapest regarding the rights of the approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine's Transcarpathia region.8
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that the new law is part of an agreement with Hungary's government to lift its veto on Ukraine's EU membership bid. Following the vote, Hungary is expected to approve the opening of two additional negotiation clusters at an intergovernmental conference on Tuesday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar had previously agreed to an 11-point action plan with Ukraine, which included the adoption of this minority rights legislation as a condition for lifting the veto.9
The new law marks a significant shift in relations, which had deteriorated under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had obstructed Ukraine's EU aspirations since 2023. The recent developments may also lead to a meeting between Magyar and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the upcoming European Council summit in Brussels.
“The legislation, approved by 266 of 450 deputies, strengthens protections for minority languages in schools and cultural events, addressing the rights of roughly 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia. Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban welcomed the step, and diplomats expect Hungary to approve opening two additional clusters at an intergovernmental conference on Tuesday.”
Euronews.com
