The process of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union presents a vital opportunity to address national minority issues, according to a recent European forum on ethnic and linguistic minorities.

Last month, FUEN (Federal Union of European Nationalities) held its 75th anniversary congress in Germany. The congress’s Working Group of Hungarian Communities focused on Ukraine and Serbia’s EU accession processes and implications for ethnic Hungarian communities in those countries.

László Brenzovics, President of the Cultural Alliance of Hungarians in Subcarpathia (KMKSZ), emphasized that, at present, he does not see a genuine effort on the part of Ukraine to resolve issues related to national minorities. In fact, minority rights are a key component of the EU’s Copenhagen Criteria (prerequisites for EU accession). According to Brenzovics, if the EU accession process fails to review and address these criteria substantively, this could negatively impact not only Ukraine but also ethnic minorities in other member states.

As part of the same working group, Loránt Vincze, President of FUEN, and Dóra Szilágyi, representatives of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), reported on political developments in Romania. Vincze highlighted the significant results RMDSZ achieved in the June elections, and ongoing preparations for the presidential elections at year’s end.

Reporting on developments in Slovakia, Péter Őry, Mayor of Štvrtok na Ostrove /Csallóközcsütörtök, relayed that ethnic Hungarian Ákos Horony now holds the position of Commissioner for Minority Affairs 

Representatives from the Alliance of Hungarians in Vojvodina (VMSZ), Annamária Vicsek and Elvira Kovács, spoke about Serbia’s unpredictable political situation but noted that the VMSZ was successful in the last municipal, provincial, and parliamentary elections.

Source: Ma7.sk

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