Foreign Ministers of Hungary and Austria discusss Ukraine’s EU integration endeavors

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said on Saturday that he had consultations with his new Austrian counterpart about continued violations of the ethnic Hungarian community’s rights in Transcarpathia and on Ukraine’s EU integration endeavors.

The situation remained unchanged, and despite repeated promises, the Ukrainian government refused to return the Hungarian community’s rights taken away in 2015, Minister Szijjártó said on Facebook. “This is totally unacceptable and contrary to common European rules and values,” he said, adding that he highly appreciated Beate Meinl-Reisinger’s willingness to help regarding the matter.

“So while this sad situation persists, any progress in Ukraine’s European Union accession talks is out of the question,” he said.

The minister said he and his Austrian counterpart also exchanged views regarding Pride marches. They established that they had opposing views on the matter. Minister Szijjártó said he told his Austrian counterpart that the protection of children was an absolute priority in Hungary.

“We do not want to meet the expectations of other countries’ governments but the expectations of the Hungarian people,” he said.