Hungary has unexpectedly suspended negotiations with Ukraine on the rights of national minorities, according to Ukrainian media, citing the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice. The talks, scheduled for 12 May, were postponed by the Hungarian side, although the Ukrainian delegation had already arrived in Uzhhorod.
The aim of the talks were to review Hungary’s 11 recommendations aimed at ensuring the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia located in the Carpathian mountains in south west Ukraine.
Tensions between the two countries have been escalating since the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced on 9 May that it had uncovered a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Transcarpathia. Two former Ukrainian soldiers suspected of gathering sensitive military information for Hungary were detained. According to the SBU, the network was controlled by a Hungarian military intelligence officer.
In response, Ukraine expelled two Hungarian diplomats, which Budapest retaliated by expelling two Ukrainian diplomats. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called the Ukrainian accusations “propaganda” and denied having received any official information about the case.
On Friday, the Counter-Terrorism Centre carried out a spectacular operation in the centre of Budapest, during which a Ukrainian citizen was arrested and banned from entering and staying in the country by the National Directorate General for Aliens for espionage.
According to the Hungarian government, “the middle-aged man was deported from Hungary during the night after the situation had been clarified, in view of the fact that his activities posed a serious threat to the sovereignty of Hungary. The person concerned had previously worked under diplomatic cover, but his official status has now been terminated.”