Transcarpathia’s troubled ethnic Hungarian minority has to face new dangers but Hungary will not leave any insult at them unanswered, Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi said in Uzhhorod (Ungvár), Ukraine 1 March 2014.

The minister, who visited Kiev and Donetsk on Friday, attended a Holy Mass in Uzhhorod (Ungvár), paying tribute to the victims of clashes over the past few weeks.

DownloadPhoto: Endre Véssey
Giving a speech after the Holy Mass, Minister Martonyi underlined that Transcarpathia is a multi-ethnic region with several religions. In this tense situation, it is highly important for those speaking different languages to understand one another, he added.

Minister Martonyi noted that four years ago he had defined the essence of the new Hungarian government’s policy towards Hungarian communities abroad with the slogan „Don’t Hurt Hungarians”.

DownloadPhoto: Endre Véssey

Now that Hungarians in Transcarpathia feel fear and hope simultaneously, this slogan is more timely than ever, he pointed out.

In conclusion, he called on Hungarians in Transcarpathia to strengthen their unity so that the community should remain and prosper in their native land.

(MFA)