Hungarian Ambassador to Kyiv Antal Heizer was summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday because of recent statements by leading Hungarian politicians alleging that Ukraine had interfered in the Hungarian parliamentary elections, confirmed the Ukrainian ministry’s website.
The Foreign Ministry expressed its strong protest to the ambassador and denied that Ukraine had interfered in the Hungarian election process.
They emphasized to the Hungarian diplomat that
Kyiv “strongly opposes any attempt by the Hungarian side to involve Ukraine in the Hungarian election campaign, as this openly harms the development of bilateral relations.”
“The Hungarian side was called upon to cease its aggressive, anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in order to avoid negative consequences for relations between the two neighboring countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
They emphasized that Ukraine is ready to continue constructive cooperation with Hungary. As the statement said, in this context, they reiterated the need for Budapest to stop obstructing the accession negotiations between Ukraine and the European Union, because Ukraine’s accession to the EU “undoubtedly serves the interests of both peoples, as well as the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.”
As a reaction to the situation Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that based on what was said there, we must be prepared for Kyiv to continue its harsh intervention in the Hungarian elections in favor of the Tisza Party (largest opposition – editor’s note), the minister wrote on Facebook.
“We were not surprised. Neither by the fact nor by what they said. They again objected to the Hungarian people expressing their opinion in a national petition about the intention of Brussels and Kyiv to spend Hungarian people’s money on the operation and armament of Ukraine,” he said.
“We received no explanation as to why President Zelenskyy is insulting Viktor Orbán in such a vulgar manner, nor as to why the Ukrainian foreign minister is making Hitler comparisons. Based on what was said at the meeting, we must be prepared for the Ukrainians to continue their open and crude interference in the April elections on behalf of the Tisza Party,”
he emphasized.
However, the Ukrainians must be prepared for us to defend our country’s sovereignty and not allow them to influence the final outcome of the election,”
he continued.
“We understand that the Ukrainians want the Tisza Party to win, but only the Hungarian people can decide on the future of Hungary and the question of peace or war,” he concluded.
Via MTI; Featured image: MTI/Purger Tamás
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