Four-Month Wait: What's Holding Up Ukraine's New Ambassador?

The ambassador's gestures towards Hungarians may raise some eyebrows at the Kyiv foreign ministry.

Fegyir Sándor ukrán nagykövetjelölt Forrás: Facebook

On August 8, Hungarian President Katalin Novak signed the acceptance letter of Ukraine's new EU ambassador, Sandor Fegyir, and on August 22 Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, headed by Peter Szijjarto, also countersigned the document.

This means that nearly four months have passed since all obstacles preventing the diplomat's arrival were removed.

Ironically, based on social media posts, candidate Fegyir, of Transcarpathian descent with Hungarian ancestry, appears less concerned about departure preparations and continues to actively serve as a soldier. The timing of events is intriguing, particularly in light of reports by Free Europe (Szabad Európa) and Index this summer that Hungary's president had intentionally delayed the process for political reasons, deliberately "putting the file of the new Ukrainian ambassador (who has now been waiting since March) on the backburners." By comparison, Hungary's ambassador to Kyiv, Antal Heizer, received his credentials from President Novak in May and assumed his post in September.

According to our information, Sador Fegyir is in fact being held back from Kyiv. Our sources indicate that this delay is attributed partly to bureaucratic hurdles, given the challenges in demobilizing an individual from the army and transferring them to a diplomatic post. Additionally, there is also a political reason: a lack of agreement on Mr Fegyir.

It's noteworthy that not everyone appreciates the gestures he has extended towards Hungarians. Those opposing an improvement in Ukraine-Hungary relations are actively working to hinder his appointment.

Opinions are split on the outcome of this debate. Some sources suggest that things could accelerate soon, as Mr Fegyir needs to only navigate certain bureaucratic hurdles before his planned arrival in Budapest. Others, however, say that the fact that he has not yet been transferred to the foreign ministry, therefore his diplomatic preparation hasn't even commenced, is cause for concern, making it a possibility that his nomination may be rescinded in time. Magyar Nemzet has reached out to the Ukrainian embassy for clarification on this delay. However, as of the publication of this article, we have not received a response.

The potential convergence of positions in Ukraine-Hungary relations could play a decisive role in the near future. Some signs of movement away from the deadlock are already apparent, as the Ukrainian parliament passed a law on the rights of national minorities last Friday, considering EU recommendations. Ukraine began curtailing the rights of ethnic Hungarian communities eight years ago, and this deprivation has persisted. While the decision adopted yesterday by the Ukrainian parliament will undergo careful assessment, it's evident that it falls significantly short of restoring the rights of 2015. Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor its implementation", the state secretary at the  foreign ministry, Tamas Menczer, said on Saturday.

Cover photo: Ukrainian ambassador-designate, Sandor Fegyir (Photo: Facebook)