Hungary blocks Ukraine’s NATO integration

Magyar Nemzet agrees with the government’s assessment that the recently adopted Ukrainian education act severely curbs education in minority languages, but finds it misplaced for Hungary to be a lonely protester against embattled Ukraine.

In his Magyar Nemzet editorial, Gábor László Zord argues that the present international context is ‘unfortunate’ for a sweeping Hungarian offensive against missteps by Ukraine.  He thinks earlier left-liberal governments missed a series of opportunities to carve out guarantees for the rights of the Hungarian minorities in Slovakia and Romania when those countries were about to join NATO.  In theory, such an endeavour in connection with Ukraine would be laudable, he admits, but believes that in this particular case, Hungary will remain isolated with its objection to further institutional rapprochement between NATO and Ukraine. NATO partners are in fact mainly concerned about the standoff between Ukraine and Russia and will interpret Hungary’s stance as corroborating their suspicion that Hungary is entertaining too friendly ties with Moscow.

Tags: education, minorities, NATO, Ukraine