Ukraine Sends Hungary Roadmap for Solving National Minority Issue

Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euroatlantic Integration of Ukraine, has reported that Kyiv sent Budapest a detailed roadmap on how the dispute concerning the national minorities issue can be solved.

"We have handed [them] a detailed roadmap, which contained our vision on solving the issues addressed by the Hungarian government," said Stefanishyna in the national 24/7 newscast.

Stefanishyna noted that it was important for Ukraine that the report by the European Commission did not contain "Hungarian trace", and that the report was unbiased.

"And I want to highlight that the European Commission in its report has confirmed Ukraine’s progress, confirmed that the rights of national minorities meet the Copenhagen criteria set for the EU member states," Deputy Prime Minister stated.

She added that Ukraine has called upon Hungary to reach an agreement and provide feedback concerning Ukraine’s propositions.

Balázs Orbán, Political Director of the Prime Minister of Hungary, said that Budapest will block the start of negotiations with Ukraine on joining the EU until Hungarian requirements regarding the language of education are met.

The European Commission recommended that EU states start accession negotiations with Ukraine, but Kyiv must implement further reforms.

Specifically, the European Commission reminded Ukraine about the necessity to fulfil the recommendations of the Venice Commission in terms of a reform of the national minorities legislation.