Hungary, Romania set to take joint action against Ukraine over Kyiv's new education law
"It is totally natural and normal for Hungary and Romania to take joint action with regard to the amendment of Ukraine's Act on Education," Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in a telephone statement to Hungarian news agency MTI, reporting on a meeting with his Romanian counterpart on Monday, Kormany.hu reports.
"The amendment to the Act violates the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the conclusion of which was supported by both Hungary and Romania, and accordingly our two countries now regard the events as a 'stab in the back.' The fact that both the Language Act and the Nationality Act are currently before Ukraine's Parliament is also a cause for concern," Szijjarto said, according to Kormany.hu.
"Hungary has an interest in establishing and maintaining a strategic relationship with Romania, in view of the fact that it is much better to build joint success stories than to handle conflicts," said Szijjarto.
The minister claimed that despite both countries having repeatedly asked Ukraine not to amend the Education Act, Ukraine did so "regardless, even though the legislation is a major violation of the rights of minorities." Read also Ukraine’s education minister "disappointed" with Hungary’s will to block Kyiv’s path to EU, says will hold talks with counterpart "There are more than half a million Hungarians and Romanians living in Ukraine, and this is one of the reasons we are taking joint action with regard to the case," he said.
Szijjarto stressed that if the Verkhovna Rada were to adopt the Act like its Cultural Committee already has, then opportunities for the Hungarian and Romanian minorities to study in their native language would be seriously curtailed. This is one of the reasons why it is important for our two countries to take joint action with regard to the Education law.
Source: UNIAN