26 October 2020, Monday, 18:26 180

Ukraine Accuses Hungary Of Interfering In Local Elections

Editor: Daria Zubkova

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accuses Hungary of interfering in the local elections on October 25 by direct campaigning by Hungarian officials for the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine (Society of Hungarian Culture in Zakarpattia).

The press service of the ministry has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"On voting day in local elections, the Hungarian side resorted to direct campaigning for the Hungarian party - the Society of Hungarian Culture of Zakarpattia. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is deeply upset that in this way official Budapest brazenly confirmed its direct interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine and inflicted an insidious blow on the consistent efforts of Ukraine to constructively resolve the existing problems in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations," the statement reads.

The statement also indicates that the unacceptable prompts by Hungarian officials to Ukrainian voters leave the Ukrainian side no choice but to react toughly to such steps in accordance with established international practice and Ukrainian legislation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that the stirring up of emotions by the Hungarian side and provoking the citizens of Ukraine not to respect the Constitution and its laws are doomed to failure.

On October 25, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on his page on Facebook called to support the political force "Party of Hungarians of Ukraine" in the local elections, and also called on to support the incumbent mayor Zoltan Babiak in the elections for Mayor of Berehoveo.

Under the name "Society of Hungarian Culture of Zakarpattia", the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine, as a public organization, operates outside the elections.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on October 20, the Foreign Ministry asked law enforcement officers to respond to the political campaigning by Hungarian officials in the local elections in Zakarpattia.