Hungary and Ukraine intend to develop neighbourly relations, and the government is working towards that, but expects Ukraine to restore the rights of its Hungarian minority, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Budapest on Monday after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Szijjártó congratulated Sybiha on his recent appointment and said it is an honour that he chose Budapest as the destination of his first visit abroad, even if that did not materialise due to scheduling problems.
Hungary, with respect, expects Ukraine to restore Hungarian-language education, culture and public administration said Szijjártó, adding that he had put forward an 11-point proposal for a solution to the government of Ukraine.
Working groups have been established to discuss those and the two sides agreed to speed up their work, he added.
Sybiha said Ukraine and Hungary plan to hold a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission by the end of the year, Ukrainian media reported.
He said he and Szijjártó had co-ordinated further steps for developing border infrastructure, which will facilitate trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Szijjártó asked Ukraine to refrain from making sudden unilateral steps that could jeopardise Hungary’s energy supply. He also asked his counterpart to ensure that no negative discrimination be applied
against Hungarian companies in Ukraine.