The Hungarian Foreign Ministry condemns the intimidating action carried out by extremists in western Ukraine's Berehove (Beregszász) and calls for enforcing rule-of-law principles in Transcarpathia and in Ukraine as a whole.

The far-right Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) broke into and violently interrupted the Berehove city council's general meeting and its public forum on Monday.
The Foreign Ministry expresses its great concern over the "unacceptable act" of endangering public order, and declares that the far-right activists had abused the "historic opportunity offered by democratic transition" in Ukraine.
The joint statement the foreign ministers of the Visegrad Four countries adopted on Ukraine at their Monday meeting in Budapest stressedthe responsibility of all political forces of Ukraine to participate in a meaningful dialogue aimed at forming a national unity government conditioned to restore public order across Ukraine.

The incident in Berehove runs counter to all this and has been the first one in a town populated by a Hungarian majority during the political crisis, the ministry said.

Acts of intimidation of communities exercising their democratic rights hamper and hurt preparations for free and fair elections, just as they hinder respecting democratic values, including the rights of national and ethnic minorities, it said.

The Hungarian Foreign Ministry urges Ukraine's parliament to re-establish national police and create the framework for allowing minorities unrestricted use of their mother tongue, two conditions Hungary considers a measure of bilateral relations, as well as of Ukraine's relations with the EU.
Foreign Minister János Martonyi asked Hungary's ambassador to Kiev and consul-general to Uzhhorod (Ungvár) to communicate Hungary's position to the central and local authorities of Ukraine.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)