The Full Restoration of Minority Rights in Ukraine Has Yet to Be Achieved

At a meeting of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the EU–Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Viktória Ferenc, a Fidesz–KDNP MEP and member of the Patriots for Europe Group, spoke during an exchange of views on possible scenarios for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. During the meeting, which was also attended by several members of the Ukrainian Parliament, the MEP of Transcarpathian origin emphasised: “The recent legislative amendment concerning minority education rights is an important step forward, one we have been waiting for since 2017. However, five of the eleven commitments remain unfulfilled. These include the right to use minority languages in public administration and ensuring parliamentary representation for national minorities.”

“For almost five years, the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia has been suffering alongside the Ukrainian people as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine. More than 120 Hungarian men from Transcarpathia have lost their lives defending Ukraine. In this emotionally fragile situation, the parliamentary resolution adopted in September condemning the Soviet-era forced labour deportations known as Malenkij Robot, and the legislative amendment concerning minority education rights adopted on 12 October, send an important message to national minorities. After all, speaking and learning in their mother tongue is not a threat to the state, but a right that deserves protection,” stated Viktória Ferenc.

Addressing the Ukrainian parliamentarians, she also highlighted that the Ukrainian Parliament had thereby acknowledged that the concerns previously raised regarding minority rights were not “artificial obstacles” to EU accession, but genuine issues requiring legislative solutions.

At the same time, the MEP pointed out that the process of restoring minority rights is far from complete. Of the eleven commitments, six have been addressed so far, while five remain unresolved. “I hope to see meaningful progress on these issues by 2027. At the same time, it is essential that the legislation adopted be fully implemented in practice and that the current positive momentum continue towards the full restoration of minority rights,” the MEP stressed.

The politician also recalled that European integration is not merely about how quickly Ukraine can join the European Union, but also about what kind of country Ukraine will become through this process. EU enlargement must remain a merit-based process: the opening of negotiation clusters and further progress in the accession process must be conditional on the actual fulfilment of commitments and the consistent application of the Copenhagen criteria.

“Commitments must be fulfilled before further steps are taken in the accession process. Only in this way can we ensure that European integration brings genuine and lasting improvements in the rule of law, human rights and the protection of national minorities,” Viktória Ferenc concluded her remarks.