HUNGARIAN ISSUE IN THE ZAKARPATTIA - IN SEARCH OF A ROADMAP


It is clear that considering the issue of Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia region we should not fall into extremes - neither ignore its problematic potential, nor escalate anti-Hungarian sentiments in Ukrainian society. Both options are dead-end.

There is a number of points, that have to be considered in order to find the way for resolving the Hungarian issue in the Zakarpattia: 

- the importance of Ukrainian-Hungarian further cooperation;

- character of today's policy implemented by the official Budapest;

- the third parties' interests in deterioration of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations;

- specifics of the Hungarian minority in the Zakarpattia and its relations with the rest of the region population.

At the present day significance of Hungary as an ally for Ukraine is growing. In general, integration of the countries in a triangle among the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas has essential importance for Ukraine. Being a core of the Visegrad Group Hungary and Poland are playing an importance role in the process broader and deeper integration of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (particularly, the course that had been chosen by current Polish government contributes for this process). Thus there has to be stressed on particular importance of further Ukrainian-Hungarian cooperation in the context of Ukraine's involvement in the project Intermarium. It goes without saying that Moscow is interested in deterioration of such cooperation due to several reasons. First, the very development of the Intermarium Union, as an independent power is completely unfavorable for the Kremlin. Second, increasing of Ukraine's political subjectivity due to its participation in the union is also couldn't be considered as beneficial for Moscow. Thirdly, Budapest's active involvement in the development of Intermarium Union (in cooperation with Warsaw) could estrange Hungary far from the orbit of Kremlin's direct influence in a very short period.

As regards the current foreign policy implemented by the official Budapest, it could be determined as oriented to maintain of friendly relations with its neighboring countries in combination with attempts to preserve connection with a Hungarian minority in these countries. As for now (or yet) any official territorial claims to Ukraine, Slovakia, Romania or Serbia have not been announced. However, the Hungarian government applies maximum efforts to preserve the Hungarian minorities living in neighboring countries through promotion of preserving their own language, culture and national identity. Within paradigm of national political life is a quite fair policy; we can find same things in policy documents of the Ukrainian nationalist forces.

Domestic dimension of the Hungarian minority coexistence with the native population of the Zakarpattia region is quite harmonious and peaceful. In general, social and cultural life of the region's Hungarian community is in line with the official policy of Budapest. Of course, this trend could have a problematic potential in future (if it will be ignored). But, in fact, really dangerous are those independent from Budapest groups of Hungarians. 

Worth noting that the Zakarpattia region with extremely high level of coalescence of criminal structures with local authorities and representatives of the region's big business. Moreover, this conglomerate has clearly pro-Moscow nature. Well known that an odious oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk has been appointed as an unofficial "watcher" (criminal slang - a man, who controls the criminal system in a particular area) over the region. At the same time mr. Medvedchuk is one of the most powerful lobbyists Moscow's interests in Ukraine. Exactly those groups of Hungarians, who have been involved to this criminal conglomerate are constitute the greatest danger in the scale of the Hungarian factor. 

The Zakarpattia is an actual challenge to the national security of Ukraine. An the main role here is played not by the Hungarian minority, but the local elites. The neutralisation of those local pests is a key to resolving the Zakarpattia issue. Here is a number of points, that have to be done for achieving a successful result:


- radical personnel changes among the region's security officials and bureaucrats;

- arrest of Viktor Medvedchuk;

- suppress the so-called "Rusin movement," which has clear pseudo-historical grounds;

- filtration among the representatives of local elites through investigations on involvement in criminal dealings.

In general, the situation in the region could be resolved through implementation the policy of rigid centralism combined with stimulation the process of renewal local elites. In particular this tactics will also allow to eliminate all negative impacts on the situation in the region by the aforementioned Hungarian groups, however, any anti-Hungarian rhetorics is inapropriate in this sityation.

The work on implementation of the roadmap on alignment the Ukrainian-Hungarian relations in the Zakarpattia only when these priority issues of the national security will have been resolved. And this roadmap must be based on developing the system of dual loyalty of the Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian origin. The region's Hungarian minority has the right for a national self-preservation, including the right for social organization in places of compact settlement. At the same time they have to demonstrate a high level of loyalty to Ukraine and our national socio-cultural norms. Hungarian minority has the right to have a Hungarian school, however, they have to be subordinated to the Ministry of Education of Ukraine; the courses of Ukrainian language, history and literature have to be included into their education program. As regards the last point - the course of history lessons must follow a paradigm, which would meet the task to nurture of dual loyalty. The process of developing and implementation of the Zakarpattia's roadmap has to be held with the participation of the official Kyiv, Budapest, representatives of the regional community and the Hungarian minority. By demonstrating its sympathy to Hungary's attempts to preserve their national identity the official Kyiv, at the same time, must work on elimination such negative phenomenon, as a dual citizenship.

Of course, the implementation of the above initiatives is impossible as long as the region will be remain in hands of the Kremlin's criminal-oligarchic structures. In this conditions responsibility fully falls on the shoulders of the Ukrainian nationalist forces, and local non-governmental organisations, who have to act with a clear awareness of the importance of further Ukrainian-Hungarian cooperation.

By Igor Zagrebelny

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