Nationalist local politicians from Transcarpathia had the Turul statue in Mukachevo removed.Continue reading
On Monday, 8 May, the Mukachevo city government dismissed István Schink, the principal of the Ferenc Rákóczi II High School in Mukachevo (Munkács), with immediate effect. The decision was published on the school’s official community page, writes the Kárpáti Igaz Szó news portal.
According to the statement, the Hungarian headmaster was dismissed despite the court ruling that his dismissal in January was unlawful. As they wrote, three weeks ago, the Mukachevo City District Court reinstated István Schink to his post with immediate effect, but without giving any reasons, the head of the institution was dismissed again today, 8 May.
“The only difference is that instead of Katalin Angyalossy, the school inspector Mihajlo Labos is now the executive” – reads the statement.
Since January of this year, ultra-nationalist Ukrainian oligarch, Viktor Baloga and his supporters put enormous pressure on the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, including Hungarian citizens of Mukachevo. Anti-Hungarian insults continue in the region to this day.
After the removal of a historic bronze statue depicting a mythical bird, that is an ancient Hungarian symbol from the Mukachevo castle in January, Baloga’s extremists continued their provocations with the dismissal of István Schink, principal of the Rákóczi Ferenc II Secondary School in Munkachevo. The dismissal was seen by most as a revenge campaign by the anti-Hungarian Baloga clan, as Schink had led the school for 17 years with excellence, and was praised by his colleagues and the community.
István Schink. Facebook: Munkácsi II. Rákóczi Ferenc Középiskola
Later, the school’s faculty issued a statement protesting the unfounded decision, which was offensive and insulting to the community. The outraged teachers appealed to the Mayor of Mukachevo, Andrii Baloga, demanding that Istvan Schink be reinstated in his former position. However, Baloga proved intransigent, and István Schink took the matter to court. The Mukachevo City-District Court has decided to reinstate Isvtán Schink as headmaster, only to be removed by city officials again on May 8.
The incident sheds further doubts at the rule-of-law in war-town Ukraine, and the government’s commitment to protecting national minorities that is a prerequisite of Ukraine’s possible membership in the EU or NATO. Hungarian government officials have already signaled their determination to block Ukraine’s accession into the Euro-Atlantic structures until the rights of Hungarians in the country are restored and guaranteed.
Featured Photo: Facebook Munkácsi II. Rákóczi Ferenc Középiskola