No violations of the Hungarian community’s rights found: Ombudsman discusses first monitoring of schools in the Zakarpattia region

For the first time, Ukraine and Hungary have jointly inspected schools in the Zakarpattia Region (Oblast) where children from the Hungarian community study, Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told the national joint 24/7 newscast. In total, they visited 11 institutions chosen by Hungary. During the visits, no violations of the rights of the Hungarian national community were recorded.

Photo: Ukrainian Ombudsman’s Office

Over 150,000 representatives of the Hungarian community live in the oblast. Last year, 12,975 children received education in the Hungarian language in 91 institutions. Educational institutions with Hungarian-language instruction operate in 23 territorial communities.

During a two-day visit by the Hungarian Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Imre Juhász, to Ukraine, the first joint monitoring visits to educational institutions in the oblast took place. Three monitoring groups worked simultaneously in the oblast.

“We visited the Ferenc Rákóczi II Specialised School No. 3 in Mukachevo, which contains 312 students, and the Lajos Kossuth Lyceum in Berehove, which has 503 students. In both institutions, education is provided in Hungarian, and the children study Ukrainian, Hungarian and English,” Lubinets noted.

During the visits, the teams saw that teachers explain complex topics in both languages when necessary. The subjects “Ukrainian Language and Literature”, “History of Ukraine” and “Defence of Ukraine” are taught in Ukrainian.

The two other monitoring groups simultaneously visited nine other educational institutions in the oblast. In each school, they checked the conditions and organisation of education, and the provision of the right to study in Hungarian. They spoke with administrators, teachers and students.

“It was important for us to show Hungary the real situation directly in the schools, through communication with students and teachers,” the Ombudsman noted.

Related: Ukrainian, Hungarian ombudsmen agree on reciprocal visits to monitor minority rights

According to Lubinets, during the two days when these monitoring visits took place, no violations of the rights of the Hungarian national community were recorded. The Ombudsman informed his Hungarian counterpart that in 2026, no appeals or complaints from representatives of the Hungarian national community were submitted to the institution.

“Over these two days, we showed our Hungarian colleague that Ukraine has built the best example of protecting the rights of national communities. I believe that we, as ombudsmen, have been convinced that there is no problem whatsoever. But once again, we see political statements that have nothing to do with reality,” Lubinets said.

Based on the results of the joint monitoring visits, the parties are drafting a report that will serve as documentary confirmation of the observance of the Hungarian community’s rights in Ukraine. In the future, the Ukrainian Ombudsman plans to visit Hungary with corresponding inspections regarding the observance of Ukrainians’ rights.

In early September, Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Hungarian Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Imre Juhász. A joint working group will monitor the observance of the rights of national minorities – the Hungarian minority in Ukraine and the Ukrainian minority in Hungary.

ZMINA earlier reported that agreements between Ukraine and Hungary regarding the rights of the Hungarian national minority include the duplication of street names, the use of national minority symbols and permission to speak their native language during breaks in educational institutions.

In May, Ukraine and Hungary resumed expert consultations on the rights of the Hungarian national minority. Representatives of the Hungarian community of the Zakarpattia oblast participated in the first meeting.

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