Peter Magyar
This was reported by diplomatic sources, writes brusselssignal.eu.
The opening of the first negotiating “cluster” may take place at an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on June 15, the sources said.
Ukraine and Moldova applied to join the bloc at the same time, which means that Chisinau’s progress is linked to Kiev’s progress.
The veto dates back to the previous government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which repeatedly blocked the process. Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who took office in May, has privately signaled that he is willing to waive the veto, diplomats said.
Magyar has laid out conditions for lifting the veto, which center on protecting the rights of ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine.
Kiev has given guarantees that address most of the concerns outlined in an 11-point plan originally drafted under Orban, one of the diplomats said. Budapest’s agreement at this stage did not depend on Ukraine’s adoption of new legislation, the diplomat added.
According to one of the diplomats, talks on Ukraine’s path to the EU resumed after Magyar visited Brussels and met with senior EU officials to discuss unblocking 16.4 billion euros of frozen EU funds.
The Hungarian official said a decision on opening the clusters to Ukraine had not yet been made. EU ambassadors are expected to determine their position on the first cluster in the coming days.
The accession process covers 35 chapters grouped into six thematic clusters. The first, known as the “Foundations”, covers the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions.
Cyprus currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of June, after which Ireland takes over the presidency for six months. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has called on member states to open the first cluster this month and the remaining five by July.
Ukraine and Moldova formally began accession talks at the first intergovernmental conference in June 2024, two years after both countries were granted candidate status. EU leaders agreed to start negotiations in December 2023.
