Artem Ilchenko

I am initiating consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early June in Transcarpathia. I received Zoltán Babják, Mayor of Berehove, in my office, who briefed me on the situation of Hungarians in Transcarpathia and the horrors of the war. We agreed that it is in the interest of Hungarians living in Transcarpathia to place Hungarian–Ukrainian relations on new foundations. Based on the above, I am initiating a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early June, symbolically in Berehove, a Hungarian-majority town. The aim of the meeting is to improve the situation of Hungarians in Transcarpathia and to support their ability to remain in their homeland. The time has come for Ukraine to put an end to the restrictions that have been in place for more than a decade, and to ensure that Hungarians in Transcarpathia regain all their cultural, linguistic, administrative, and higher education rights, so that they can once again become equal and respected citizens of Ukraine. This would also help ensure that, once the war has ended, as many Hungarians from Transcarpathia as possible can return to their homeland. If we can resolve these issues, we can certainly open a new chapter in Hungarian–Ukrainian bilateral relations. The concessions announced by the Ukrainian government in 2025 in the field of education are a step in the right direction, but they are not sufficient. Higher education in Ukraine remains monolingual, final examinations are conducted in Ukrainian, and there has been no meaningful change in other areas of official language use. It remains the case that official language use in Ukraine is strictly limited to a single language. In public administration, in the courts, and in official procedures, only Ukrainian may be used. The Hungarian minority cannot request official administration in their mother tongue, not even in settlements with a Hungarian majority. Restrictions also remain in public life and culture: Hungarian-language events and media outlets are allowed to operate, but under quotas and burdensome registration and formal requirements. In public appearances, officials — such as school principals or mayors — are still not free to use their mother tongue. From here, I encourage the Ukrainian leadership to take bold steps in these areas as well, in the direction of European values and genuine freedom and equality. I assured the Mayor that our compatriots in Transcarpathia can count on the full support of the mother country and of a TISZA government. I hope to soon be able to accept his kind invitation to Berehove. I am ready.