Fidesz questions Ukrainian minority rights bill amid EU accession talks

The Fidesz parliamentary group has expressed skepticism regarding a new Ukrainian legislative proposal aimed at addressing the rights of the Hungarian minority. While Ukrainian officials, including Serhiy Babak, suggest the bill intends to facilitate the opening of further EU accession negotiation chapters by resolving minority rights issues, Fidesz maintains that the proposal lacks binding guarantees for the actual enforcement of these rights.

European Parliament Member Balázs Orbán warned that lifting Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s EU accession process without concrete, verified improvements to minority rights—specifically regarding education and the use of the Hungarian language—would be a strategic error. He argued that the current proposal is merely a promise of future legislation rather than a substantive restoration of rights.

While some officials noted that the bill could expand the use of the Hungarian language in administration and education, Fidesz representatives claim the move is a tactical attempt by Ukraine to bypass the Hungarian veto and secure further financial assistance from the EU and international taxpayers.