Hungary welcomes draft law on educational rights of national minorities: document registered in the Rada

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar welcomed the registration in the Verkhovna Rada of a bill that provides for changes in the field of educational rights of indigenous peoples and national minorities of Ukraine. This is bill No. 16119, registered on October 1, 2026.

According to Magyar, the document should strengthen the legal guarantees of education in the Hungarian language in Ukraine and the functioning of the network of relevant educational institutions.

What is proposed to be changed

The bill provides that the Ukrainian language will remain the language of the educational process. At the same time, in institutions where there are classes or groups with instruction in the language of an indigenous people or national minority, the language of which is an official language of the EU, the possibility of using the relevant language will be guaranteed.

It is also proposed to introduce the status of a general secondary education institution of a national minority. It will be available to institutions where more than 50% of students receive education in the language of the relevant national minority.

In addition, the possibility of studying national history, culture, traditions and symbols is envisaged. Education documents and their supplements will be able to be duplicated in the language of the national minority upon the parents’ request.

The draft law is linked to the negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU

The registration of the document is also important for the negotiation process on Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. It is expected that its adoption may contribute to the lifting of the Hungarian blockade of two negotiation clusters. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Szybiga expressed hope that the legislative changes will help unblock the further negotiation process.

The Hungarian side positively assessed the registration of the document. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Anita Orbán stated that she expects the Ukrainian Parliament to decide on the draft law in October.

As of October 2, draft law No. 16119 has not yet been adopted – according to the Verkhovna Rada, the document has been sent for consideration by a committee and is currently being processed.

Source: European Pravda, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine