Ukraine-Hungary Language Dispute Threatens Key Financial Support
Berehove, Ukraine – Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have taken a sour turn amidst a language dispute concerning the rights of ethnic Hungarian students to use their native language in education and public administration. This tension poses a risk to Ukraine’s financial support as it battles against Russia’s invasion. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused Ukraine’s government of violations against the rights of ethnic Hungarian minorities, including a group of students in Zakarpattia, Ukraine who speak Hungarian as their native language.
Ukraine’s Efforts to Bolster National Identity
In the aftermath of Russia-backed rebels seizing control of two regions in Ukraine’s east and the annexation of Crimea, Ukraine aimed to strengthen its national identity. This effort included a 2017 law that made Ukrainian the mandatory language of study past the fifth grade, which displeased ethnic minorities, such as the Romanian, Bulgarian, and Hungarian communities.
However, in December, Ukraine made amendments to its education and language laws to align with the European Union’s (EU) membership criteria and restore many of the language rights demanded by Hungary. Hungarian community leaders in Zakarpattia hailed these legislative changes as an opportunity to secure their existence for another three decades. László Zubánics, the head of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance of Ukraine, praised Ukraine’s government for considering the interests of all minorities and indigenous people in the country.
Discontent with Partial Solutions
Ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia perceive Ukraine’s legislative changes as a positive step toward language rights. However, Hungary’s government has indicated that it is not entirely satisfied. This lingering dissatisfaction brings Orbán’s veto of a 50-billion euro aid package for Kyiv to the forefront of the EU leaders’ meeting agenda, scheduled for Thursday.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó acknowledged the merit of Ukraine’s 2021 law, which stopped a downward spiral, but emphasized the unresolved issue of national minorities, highlighting the long road ahead.
Orbán, who has regularly voiced his opposition to military and financial aid for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, citing the Hungarian minority’s interests, is seen as Putin’s closest EU ally. In November, Orbán expressed doubt about Ukraine’s EU membership and specified full language rights for Hungarians in Ukraine as a prerequisite for his support.
Optimism Amidst Tensions
Despite tensions between Budapest and Kyiv, László Zubánics, who supported an open letter to Orbán endorsing Ukraine’s EU path, remains optimistic. Identifying as European citizens, the Hungarian community in Zakarpattia aspires to both Orbán’s support and Ukraine’s EU membership. Zubánics urged diplomacy, acknowledging that bridging the divide would take political will and concerted efforts from both parties.
Efforts to Strengthen the Hungarian Minority
Hungary’s government has financially supported the Hungarian minority in Ukraine to strengthen their cultural identity and connection to Hungary. This support has included streamlining the process for acquiring Hungarian citizenship—an action opposed by Ukraine, which does not recognize dual citizenship.
In Berehove, a small city near the Hungarian border in Zakarpattia, Hungary’s government aided the establishment of a campus for the Matthias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), a private conservative educational institution. The MCC, supported with endowments exceeding $1.5 billion, has become a training center for Hungary’s aspiring political elite.
The MCC provides Hungarian students with a curriculum that supplements their Hungarian-language education in Zakarpattia’s public schools. The campus offers unique classes in topics such as robotics, media, and internet literacy. Milán Constantinovits, the MCC’s deputy director, stressed the significance of articulating identity in the ethnically diverse region and highlighted the students’ strong Hungarian identity. The MCC also promotes coexistence, providing Ukrainian-language lessons for Hungarian students learning it as a second language.
Seeking a Path to Progress
Recent bilateral meetings between Hungarian and Ukrainian foreign ministers, as well as a planned meeting between Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggest a partial thaw in Hungary’s position. However, Hungary’s government maintains that it cannot fully support Ukraine under the current circumstances, calling for more substantial efforts from both sides. Zubánics emphasized the need for political will and focusing on commonalities in order to move forward.
