(VOVWORLD) - The Ukrainian parliament on Friday approved bills necessary to start European Union accession talks, including one on national minorities’ rights, a critical demand from Hungary which opposes Ukraine’s EU bid.
 Ukraine’s parliament building in Kiev (Photo: AFP/ VNA) |
An EU summit next week is to consider whether to start negotiations on membership with Ukraine. EU leaders must unanimously approve the move.
Budapest has clashed with Kyiv over what it says are curbs on the rights of ethnic Hungarians in western Ukraine, in particular regarding education.
The other bills adopted concern staff increases in the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, additional power for the National Agency on Corruption Prevention on assets checks, and provisions on public declaration of assets.