Ensuring Respect for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities Must Not Be Subject to Political Bargaining

At the meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, presented the 2026 Enlargement Package. During the debate, Viktória Ferenc, MEP of Fidesz–KDNP and member of the Patriots for Europe Group, emphasised: “Enlargement can only succeed if it remains merit-based. Ensuring respect for the rule of law, human rights and the rights of national minorities must not be subject to political bargaining.”

The MEP acknowledged that, as a result of Russian aggression, the people of Ukraine have endured immense suffering for almost five years, and that the country is seeking EU membership under extremely difficult circumstances. However, she stressed: “The situation of war cannot serve as an exemption from fulfilling the conditions for EU accession.”

In her intervention, the MEP of Transcarpathian origin, underlined: “Safeguarding the rights of national minorities is not only an EU requirement, but also an international obligation and a constitutional commitment undertaken by Ukraine. Since 2017, numerous minority rights that were previously guaranteed have been restricted, and unfortunately, you stood by and allowed this to happen in a country that had already embarked on the path towards European integration. Nine years later, the new legislative amendment adopted in October this year represents a step forward, but it is not enough on its own, as it does not address all areas of concern. Rights that were previously restricted must be fully restored, and their effective exercise in practice must also be guaranteed.”

The MEP also expressed concern over reports of forced conscription, abuse in connection with military service and related deaths in Ukraine. “We expect a candidate country to uphold the consistent protection of human rights, even in times of war,” she emphasised.

At the end of her intervention, Viktória Ferenc put a specific question to Commissioner Marta Kos: “What concrete guarantees and monitoring mechanisms does the European Commission intend to put in place to ensure that Ukraine not only restores the rights of national minorities in law, but also guarantees their effective protection in practice, and investigates reports of human rights violations?”

In her response, Marta Kos acknowledged that the protection of minorities is a fundamental value enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and stated that Ukraine, too, would not be granted any exemptions from fulfilling the conditions for accession. However, the Commissioner failed to identify a single concrete monitoring mechanism or guarantee that would ensure the effective restoration of previously restricted minority rights or the investigation of reported human rights violations. Instead, she emphasised the significance of the adoption of legislation concerning education for national minorities and recalled that no clusters of accession negotiations could be opened without Hungary’s approval. Nevertheless, she expressed hope that, following the four clusters already supported, the remaining two could also be opened soon.

Brussels, 4 November 2026