Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the Hungarian consul in Berehove, Zakarpattia region, persona non grata and obliged him to leave Ukraine within 72 hours, as the press office of the Ministry reports.
Erno Keshken, Hungary’s Ambassador to Ukraine, was informed about this decision today.
“He received the note, which says that according to the 23rd article of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, concerning the activity incompatible with consul’s status, the consul of the Hungarian Consulate in Berehove has to leave Ukraine within next 72 hours,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.
The Ministry also expects the Hungarian side to avoid any unfriendly acts towards Ukraine, and its officials to refrain from violating the Ukrainian legislation.
“We consider the Ukrainians of the Hungarian origin as a uniting element in the relations between two countries and urge our Hungarian partners to this,” the statement says.
Earlier, Ukrinfrom published a video where a few Ukrainians were receiving Hungarian passports and owed allegiance to Hungry in the Consulate in Berehove. The Hungarian diplomat recommended not to inform the Ukrainian authorities about receiving the new documents.
Later, Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, said that the video is being checked on the authenticity. If it is authentic, the Hungarian consul will be expelled from the country.
In his turn, Péter Szijjártó, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, claimed the attempts to intimidate the Transcarpathian Hungarians and threatened to make Ukraine’s integration more complicated.
Later it was also reported that for seven years, the Hungarian consulates in Berehove and Uzhhorod of Zakarpattia region have been granting Hungarian citizenship to local residents who are citizens of Ukraine.
Yuriy Lutsenko, Prosecutor General, claimed that Ukraine's Security Service investigates this case; however, the service denied this.
Tamás Menczer, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Spokesperson later reported that Hungary does not intend to withdraw its consul from Berehove due to the scandalous video about the issuance of Hungarian passports to the Ukrainians.
In its turn, Ukraine claimed that in case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary does not withdraw their consul from Berehove, Zakarpattia region, and then Ukraine will offer him to abandon the territory.
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