Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said that Hungary will continue to provide protection to Ukrainian men of military age despite new EU rules, Ukrinform reported, citing Polish public television Te Fau Pe, BTA reports.
Magyar said yesterday that Budapest would retain its right to provide protection to these men, many of whom he said were ethnic Hungarians from the Transcarpathian region.
"A few weeks ago, the EU decided that men of military age who fled the war could not be granted refugee status. "However, the government has decided to reserve Hungary's right to grant such status," Magyar said.
About 100,000 ethnic Hungarians live in western Ukraine's Transcarpathian region, which borders Hungary.
Magyar said he raised the issue on Wednesday during talks with European Council President Antonio Costa in Budapest, and stressed that it was wrong to prevent people from leaving a country at war.
"Hungary will act differently and provide assistance to those in need," he told reporters.
EU member states agreed in July to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 4, 2028. The new rules, which came into force on 5 August, prohibit new applications for temporary protection from persons who have not fulfilled their military obligations under Ukrainian law.
The restriction does not affect Ukrainians who have already been granted temporary protection status in an EU country before the new rules came into force.