Ukraine, Hungary Agree To Hold Consular Consultations After Zakarpattia Region Row - Kiev

Ukraine and Hungary agreed on Monday to launch consular consultations after mutual expulsion of consuls sparked by Budapest's move to issue passports to Ukrainians living in the border region of Zakarpattia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Monday.

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2018) Ukraine and Hungary agreed on Monday to launch consular consultations after mutual expulsion of consuls sparked by Budapest's move to issue passports to Ukrainians living in the border region of Zakarpattia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Monday.

A diplomatic row between Budapest and Kiev escalated after reports emerged in September saying that Hungarian passports were issued by Hungary's consulate in the city of Berehove to some 100,000 Ukrainians. According to reports, Hungarian diplomats instructed Ukrainians to conceal from the Ukrainian government the fact that they had obtained Hungarian citizenship. The situation prompted Kiev to declare the Hungarian consul persona non grata earlier in October, with Budapest responding with the same measure.

"After all these events, we need real consultations. It will be comprehensive consular consultations, and we have agreed to hold them. First, they will be at the level of heads of consular departments, we are now discussing a date," Klimkin told reporters after a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Luxembourg.

The minister noted that they had discussed a number of problematic issues in bilateral relations and agreed to change the official title for a Hungarian representative for the Zakarpattia region. He welcomed "positive shifts" in the bilateral dialogue, noting that there were still a number of outstanding issues to be addressed.

According to Klimkin, the ministers also agreed to meet at the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF) slated for October 24-25.

Ukraine does not recognize dual citizenship. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the Hungarian consulate abused its powers, but Budapest has denied that issuing passports to Ukrainians of Hungarian origin violated any laws.

Another contentious issue emerged in August when Hungarian President Viktor Orban decided to create a new position in the government Hungarian ministerial commissioner for the Zakarpattia region. Kiev expressed protest, noting this individual would be in charge of a part of Ukrainian sovereign territory.