Government official: Treatment of Transcarpathia Hungarians ‘unacceptable’

The faculty of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Secondary School lined up with parents at the ceremony holding candles displaying the Hungarian national colours in protest of the decision, Arpad Janos Potapi told MTI.

“Sadly, anti-Hungarian expressions have become regular occurrences, and what’s even sadder is that neither the county leadership, nor the Ukrainian government is doing anything about it, citing municipal authority,” Potapi said.

The stare secretary said the Mukachevo city administration was trying to render the operations of the nearly 150-year-old school impossible “with its cynical measures”.

He noted that Hungary had been the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence 32 years ago. “And Ukraine now wants to use restrictive laws to force Hungarians living in their place of birth to assimilate or leave,” he added.

“We believe that in the case of a country looking to join the European Union and NATO, the strengthening of Ukrainian identity and the war can’t serve as a basis to curb the minority rights enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution and international and bilateral treaties,” Potapi said. “We expect decisive practical steps from the leadership of Transcarpathia and President Zelensky.”