Hungary and Ukraine agree historic deal on minority rights

Hungary and Ukraine have officially resolved a major dispute in their bilateral relations, with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar announcing on X on June 12 that the two countries have agreed on a comprehensive deal to protect the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine.

In a public statement, Magyar confirmed that the Ukrainian government has issued a formal diplomatic note committing to the full implementation of the agreement’s provisions. Kyiv has embedded these commitments into its EU Minority Action Plan, News.Az reports, citing Kyiv Post.

“The historic agreement between Hungary and Ukraine on the educational, cultural, linguistic, and political rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia has now been formalised,” Magyar wrote on social media.

Because the agreement is now tied to Ukraine’s EU accession framework, both the European Commission and the European Council will actively monitor Kyiv’s compliance. Magyar warned that if Ukraine fails to uphold its obligations regarding minority rights, further progress in its EU accession process could be blocked.

According to DailyNewsHungary, the dispute over minority rights has dominated Hungarian-Ukrainian relations for the past decade. Previous governments in Budapest consistently argued that Ukrainian legislation regarding state language and education severely curtailed the rights of the approximately 100,000 ethnic Hungarians living in the Transcarpathia region.

Under the new terms, Ukraine has agreed to a sweeping restoration of fundamental rights for the minority population. Key concessions include reinstating a system of schools for ethnic minorities where students can utilize their native language in all educational settings, including during official examinations, as well as permitting ethnic Hungarian students and community members to freely use Hungarian national symbols and flags during celebrations and public events.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli