January 14 Victor Yushchenko visited the Zakarpatya region to open a
school and meet with Hungary’s Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, president’s
press office reported.
Victor Yushchenko met with Hungary’s Prime Minister Mukachevo. They
spoke about how to build closer ties between the two countries and agreed to
formulate a bilateral action plan for the next couple of years.
Yushchenko and Gyurcsany discussed border cooperation, especially how to
liberalize and synchronize border procedures.
The President suggested opening a Taras Shevchenko monument in Budapest.
High officials also attended a ribbon cutting ceremony to open a
Hungarian school in the Zakarpatya region.
The President said the event was a “token of respect for the Hungarian
minority.” He added that fates of millions of people of different
nationalities, which traditionally demonstrate mutual respect, were
historically entwined in Zakarpatya.
Yushchenko said it was the sixth Hungarian school opened in the area in
the past six months and expressed hopes the region’s young would benefit from
it.
Gyurcsany thanked the President, the government of Ukraine and the local
community for helping build the establishment. He said thousands of Hungarians
in Zakarpatya wanted to preserve their traditions and culture.
The President and the Premier gave the principal books in Ukrainian and
Hungarian and planted a snowball tree in the school yard.
