For Viktor Orban, Hungary’s former autocratic prime minister, Ukraine was an “evil empire”, a mafia state teeming with human traffickers, drug dealers and arms traders.
He and his regime also suggested that Ukraine wanted to attack Hungary. It is comments along those lines that likely contributed to Orbán’s crushing defeat in April.
So far, his successor has also not shown unconditional support for Ukraine. Despite criticizing Orban’s anti-Ukraine rhetoric as lies and distraction tactics, Peter Magyar has also ruled out providing military aid to Kyiv.
He also criticized Russia.
Minority rights for Hungarians in Transcarpathia
But last week, Magyar announced a change in Hungary’s policy toward Ukraine that he described as “historic.” He announced in a video posted on Facebook that the two countries had reached an agreement regarding the rights of Hungarian minorities in the western Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia.
He said that “in three weeks we managed to achieve what Viktor Orban could not do in 10 years” and added that Ukraine is ready to guarantee many rights to its Hungarian minority, especially in education and language.
He said a declaration would be signed soon and Ukraine was committed to implementing the measures in the near future. Once that happens, he said, the Hungarian government will agree to start the first set of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
During his first month as Prime Minister of Hungary, Magyar has already done some things that he described as “historic”. Upon closer inspection, details may be more subtle.
For example, Magyar said that “100,000 Hungarians are regaining fundamental rights,” but many of the language rights in education that he presented as new already exist. Members of national minorities in Ukraine already have the right to receive education in their own language if it is not Ukrainian. In this case, they will have to follow classes where Ukrainian language, literature and history are taught in Ukraine.
minority language place name symbol
What is new is that under the new agreement Ukraine will enable the use of minority languages in public administration. With this, bilingual signs will be placed on the names of places or government buildings. Use of minority languages will be allowed in public institutions if the minority constitutes more than 10% of the local population. However, this is a requirement for EU membership, not the result of “historic negotiations” by the Magyars.
But a possible outcome that was probably sought by representatives of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia is that minority schools would be maintained, even if only a few children and youth remain. The number of ethnic Hungarians in the region has declined dramatically, especially since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Optimistic estimates now place it at around 80,000.
‘Very important and historic step’
Laszlo Szubanics, one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia and head of the Hungarian Democratic Federation in Ukraine, is pleased with the agreement. “This is a very important and historic step,” he told DW.
“The last time a joint Ukrainian-Hungarian working group on minority issues met was in 2011. In the future, whenever problems arise, this working group will convene. Moreover, the current agreement will pave the way for opening an EU negotiation chapter,” he said.
Zubaniks pointed out that although many minority rights already exist in Ukraine, existing legislation will be reformed and clarified.
He welcomed the fact that it would become easier to put up signs in minority languages in government offices and state institutions. “Until now, this required a special decision by councils, but now it will be automatic,” he told DW. He expressed hope that the new law will be implemented by the end of 2027.
Magyar will meet with Zelensky in the near future
Magyar announced a few days ago that he was ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but it is unclear when and if exactly he will agree to his request to meet in the western Ukrainian city of Berekhov, which lies on the border with Hungary.
However, what is clear is that this will be a historic meeting after a decade and a half of extremely tense relations between the two states, which long predates Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A recent report by the Hungarian news portal Telex revealed just how hostile Orbán was: it revealed that a high-profile anti-terrorism operation in Hungary in early March against a Ukrainian cash-in-transit armored vehicle – and the seizure of approximately €70 million (about $81 million) and nine kilograms of gold – was not targeted at suspected money launderers, as officially stated, but was a politically motivated action, The timing of which was coordinated by Orbán himself for campaign purposes.
Magyar has, on several occasions, condemned this way of doing politics in clear words. The agreement between Ukraine and Hungary can now mark the beginning of a new chapter in constructive relations. “The foundation for a proper partnership has been laid,” Zubaniks said.
This article was originally published in German.