President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting on April 9 with representatives of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, including military personnel. During the event, the head of state expressed gratitude to both the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Hungarian community of the region for their solidarity and joint support of the country during difficult times.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Awards for Military Personnel and Commemoration of Yosyp Borto
Volodymyr Zelensky presented awards to Ukrainian military personnel and posthumously honored the late Yosyp Borto with the Order of Merit of the III degree, which was awarded to the wife of the deceased. Yosyp Borto was the first deputy chairman and a deputy of the Transcarpathian Regional Council, as well as the deputy chairman of the Society of Hungarian Culture of Transcarpathia. Yosyp Borto passed away in November 2023.
“We thank first and foremost our Armed Forces and the Hungarian community for the fact that we are all Ukrainians, despite political insinuations. We are all united together, and this unity has been important for us to get through this winter together.”
Rights of National Minorities and Political Context
According to the President’s Office, the meeting discussed the current needs of national communities in learning their native language, the role of local self-government in filling the state budget, and creating conditions for the return of Ukrainians who were forced to leave the country due to Russian aggression.
Before the full-scale invasion, about 150,000 Hungarians lived in Transcarpathia, but currently, according to community representatives, their numbers have decreased by half.
Hungary has repeatedly expressed concern about the restrictions on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, and this issue has been the subject of intergovernmental consultations since 2017. The Ukrainian authorities emphasize adherence to the rights of minorities within state policy, particularly regarding proficiency in the Ukrainian language.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, commenting on Zelensky’s meeting with the Hungarian community, called it a “political theater” and once again took to social media to call for the restoration of the rights of the Hungarian minority.
The next parliamentary elections in Hungary will take place on April 12. The Ukrainian issue is one of the key topics in the election campaign against the backdrop of strained relations between official Budapest and President Zelensky.