BUDAPEST, January 21. /TASS/. Ukraine is grossly interfering in Hungary’s internal affairs and is trying to put pressure on it because of Budapest’s refusal to help Kiev, said Foreign and Foreign Economic Relations Minister Peter Szijjarto, commenting on travel restrictions placed on Hungarian officials to Transcarpathia.
"The Ukrainians continue with their pressure campaign against Hungary. They summoned our ambassador in Kiev to protest the collection of signatures for a national petition [in Hungary] against sending $800 billion to Ukraine," the minister said in a video message broadcast by M1 TV channel.
"We consider this an extremely gross interference in Hungary's internal affairs. We have the right to decide for ourselves what the Hungarian people's money should be spent on. We do not agree to send the money of the Hungarian people to Ukraine. Hungarian tax dollars should stay in Hungary, should be used for the development of the country, to support Hungarian families," Szijjarto said.
"The Ukrainian side also said it would restrict the travel of Hungarian government officials to Transcarpathia in another step that goes against European values and rules, another anti-Hungarian step, because they obviously want to limit contacts between the Hungarian government and the Hungarian national community in Transcarpathia, in complete contradiction to all European rules and values," the Foreign Minister said.
He confirmed that, despite the pressure, the Hungarian government would not participate in the EU initiative to provide Ukraine with $800 billion over the next 10 years.
"We will not support sending a single forint from Hungary’s tax coffers to Ukraine," Szijjarto said, adding that Hungary will petition against EU financing of Ukraine.