he government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatens to veto the start of negotiations with Ukraine on joining the European Union until Hungarian requirements regarding the language of education are met.

As political director of the Hungarian Prime Minister Balazs Orban said in an interview with the Dutch broadcaster NOS, "new laws were introduced that have worsened the lives of Hungarians in Ukraine."

He is referring to the recently introduced law in Ukraine, which obliges minorities, not only Hungarian, to receive at least 70% of education in Ukrainian. Thus, children who grow up in Hungarian-speaking families in Ukraine will significantly lag behind in education, Hungary is concerned.

"We cannot agree with this," Orban said.

"Hungary's position is absolutely clear: as long as this law exists, there can be no discussions with Ukrainians about their integration into the European Union," he stressed.

According to the adviser, "Hungary has always been a supporter of Ukraine's rapprochement with the European Union," but a stricter law on language allegedly changed everything.

"We will be blocking it until the problem is solved," Orban said.