Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Expresses Protest To Hungarian Ambassador Over Orban's Remarks

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2018) The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed "a strong protest" to the newly-appointed Hungarian ambassador on Friday over critical remarks made by Prime Minister Viktor Orban about the country's current leadership.

On Thursday, Orban said that Budapest sees no prospect for proper cooperation with the country's current leadership. He also suggested that, if the March 2019 election in Ukraine does lead to further deterioration, it will be a big achievement. He also said that Ukraine's accession to NATO and the European Union seems to be unattainable goal in the near future.

"The newly appointed Ambassador of Hungary to Ukraine, Istvan Íjgyarto, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The Ukrainian side made a strong protest against the latest comments about Ukraine of Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán and Vice Prime Minister for National Policy Zsolt Semjen," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian side told the diplomat about the need for Budapest to "stop actions negatively affecting development of the bilateral relations."

Ukrainian-Hungarian relations deteriorated over Kiev's 2017 education law, which restricted national minority children's right to study in their native languages. In September, tensions escalated further over reports that the Ukrainian consulate in Berehove, a city located in Ukraine's western Zakarpattia region, near the Hungarian border, issued Hungarian passports for Ukrainian citizens. This was done in spite of the fact that Ukraine does not recognize dual citizenship. The move prompted Kiev to expel the Hungarian consul from the country, and Hungary responded in kind.