Hungary demands autonomy and dual citizenship for Hungarians in Transcarpathia

Hungarians living in Ukraine must receive autonomy and dual citizenship.

This was announced in the Parliament of Hungary, by the Prime Minister of the country Viktor Orban, the TSN reported.

"We see the Hungarian issue as a European issue. Hungarians living in the Carpathian region are entitled to dual citizenship, the rights of national community and autonomy," – he said.

According to Orban, the issue of Hungarians in Ukraine is particularly important for Budapest.

"The situation of 200,000 ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine, make this issue particularly important. The Hungarian community there must receive dual citizenship, all rights of the national community, and they must receive the opportunity for self-government" – he said.

"These are our clear expectations from the new Ukraine" – the Hungarian prime minister said.

At the same time, Orban supported Ukrainian government in building a democratic state.

It should be noted that, according to various estimates, 160 to 200 thousand Hungarians live in Ukraine. In other countries, there are much larger Hungarian minorities – in Serbia, there 250 to 290 thousand Hungarians, in Slovakia – about 500 thousand, and in Romania, there are more than a million people of Hungarian nationality.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary said that Budapest would not violate the territorial integrity of Ukraine and would not attempt to annex Transcarpathia.

However, on April 9, at the PACE session, the Hungarian delegate backed members of the Russian delegation. The Hungarian then said that in Ukraine there were "hidden forces" that were trying to seize power.

He also said that Ukraine was an "artificial state" composed of, inter alia, Transcarpathia, which for many years was a part of Hungary.

In addition, the Hungarian representative mentioned the problem of Transcarpathian Rusyns, who are "not recognized in Ukraine."

In March, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma and the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky suggested Poland, Hungary and Romania to divide Ukraine, leaving only the central part of the current territory.

Source – Ukrainska Pravda