19
Jun
2025
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Institutional and political implications of the EU enlargement process and global challenges (debate)
Dear Mr President, Exactly one year ago, accession negotiations began with Ukraine, and following the success of Hungarian diplomacy, our eleven-point proposals for the protection of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community living in Western Ukraine were integrated into the general accession negotiation framework. Thus, the protection of the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians has officially become part of Ukraine's accession process. However, we are disappointed to see that no substantial progress has been made on this issue in the past 365 days, but only pseudo-measures have been taken. Although the Kiev leadership adopted the action plan for the protection of the rights of national minorities, the largest advocacy organisation of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community was not involved in the negotiations in a discriminatory manner. So you, my colleagues, when European Union leaders and politicians turn a blind eye to, and even support, Ukraine's window measures affecting its national minorities, you are jeopardising the credibility of the EU institutions and, in fact, you are obstructing the real democratisation of Ukraine.