Hungary's new PM Magyar announces 'historic' deal with Ukraine on minority rights

For Hungary's former autocratic prime minister, Viktor Orban, Ukraine was an "evil empire," a mafia state teeming with human traffickers, drug dealers and arms merchants.

He and his regime even suggested that Ukraine wanted to launch an attack on Hungary. It is comments along those lines that likely contributed to Orban's crushing defeat in April.

So far, his successor has not shown unconditional support for Ukraine either. Despite criticizing Orban's anti-Ukrainian rhetoric as lies and diversionary tactics, Peter Magyar has also ruled out providing military aid to Kyiv.

At the same time, he has also criticized Russia.

Minority rights for Hungarians in Transcarpathia

But last week, Magyar announced a shift in Hungarian policy toward Ukraine that he described as "historic." He declared in a video posted on Facebook that the two countries had reached an agreement regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority in the western Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia.

He said that "in three weeks we managed to achieve what Victor Orban couldn't do in 10 years" and added that Ukraine was prepared to guarantee numerous rights to its Hungarian minority, particularly in education and language.

He said that a declaration would soon be signed and that Ukraine had committed to implementing the measures in the near future. Once this happened, he said, the Hungarian government would agree to open the first set of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

During his first month as Hungarian prime minister, Magyar has already described quite a few things as "historic." Upon closer inspection, the details might be more nuanced.

For example, Magyar said that "100,000 Hungarians are regaining fundamental rights," but many of the language rights in the field of education that he presented as being new already exist. Members of national minorities in Ukraine already have the right to obtain an education in their language if this is not Ukrainian. In this case, they have to follow classes where Ukrainian language, literature and history are taught in Ukraine.

Minority language place name signs

What is new is that under the new agreement Ukraine will enable the use of minority languages in public administration. This will lead to bilingual signs for place names or on government buildings. The use of minority languages will be permitted in public institutions if a minority constitutes over 10% of the local population. This is a requirement for EU membership, however, and not the result of a "historic negotiation" by Magyar.

But one likely outcome that was probably sought by representatives of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia is that minority schools will be maintained even if there are only a few children and young people left. The number of ethnic Hungarians in the region has declined dramatically, particularly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Optimistic estimates put it now at around 80,000.

'Very important and truly historic step'

Laszlo Zubanics, one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia and the head of the Hungarian Democratic Federation in Ukraine, is pleased about the agreement. "This is a very important and truly historic step," he told DW.

"The last time a joint Ukrainian-Hungarian working group on minority issues met was in 2011. In future, this working group will convene whenever problems arise. Furthermore, the current agreement will clear the way for the opening of EU negotiation chapters," he said.

Zubanics pointed out that though several minority rights already existed in Ukraine, the existing legislation would be improved and made clearer.

He welcomed the fact that it would become easier to put up signs in minority languages in government offices and state institutions. "Until now, that required special decisions by councils but now it will become automatic," he told DW. He hoped that the new legislation would be in place by the end of 2027 at the very latest.

Magyar to meet Zelenskyy in near future

Magyar announced a few days ago that he was prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but it remains unclear when exactly and whether the latter will agree to his request to meet in the western Ukrainian town of Berehove, which lies on the border with Hungary.

However, what is clear is that this will be a historic meeting after a decade and a half of very strained relations between the two states, which go back to well before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A recent report by the Hungarian news portal Telex revealed just how hostile Orban was: It revealed that a high-profile anti-terrorism operation against a Ukrainian cash-in-transit armored vehicle in Hungary in early March — and the seizure of approximately €70 million (approx. $81 million) and nine kilograms of gold — did not target suspected money launderers as stated officially but was a politically motivated action, whose timing was coordinated by Orban himself for campaign purposes.

Magyar has condemned this way of doing politics in no uncertain terms on several occasions. The agreement between Ukraine and Hungary could now mark the beginning of a new chapter of constructive relations. "The foundation for a proper partnership has been laid," said Zubanics.

This article was originally published in German.