Representatives of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia issued a statement on November 19 expressing shock over draft law No. 12086 currently under consideration in the Ukrainian Parliament. The proposal aims to promote the exclusive use of the Ukrainian language in educational institutions, a move that the Hungarian community sees as a significant setback in the protection of minority language rights.

The leaders of Hungarian organizations – Dr. László Brenzovics, Dr. László Zubánics, and Dr. Ildikó Orosz – emphasized that recent legislative amendments passed by the Verkhovna Rada had created more favorable conditions for minority language education. However, the new draft law would drastically narrow these rights and effectively prohibit the use of minority languages, including Hungarian, outside of the classroom.

According to the proposal, only the state language would be permitted during breaks, in teachers’ lounges, and in schoolyards, even for private conversations. This ban would not only limit the rights of minority language use but also infringe on fundamental human rights.

The statement also warns that such legal restrictions could jeopardize Ukraine’s aspirations for European Union membership, as respecting the rights of national minorities is a fundamental requirement for EU integration. The Hungarian community’s representatives call on the Ukrainian government and parliament to respect minority rights and refrain from passing legislation that further restricts minority language use.

Source: https://umdsz.info/hu/a-karpatalja-megyeben-elo-magyar-nemzeti-kisebbseg-kepviseloinek-nyilatkozata/

Please follow and like us: