“More equipment required to protect against the coronavirus epidemic arrived in Hungary aboard four aeroplanes on Friday via the airlift operating between China and Hungary”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a statement to public media on Friday.

Mr. Szijjártó informed the press that 4 million 500 thousand pairs of gloves, 1 million 150 thousand face masks and the equipment required for the operation of 500 respirators had arrived. “Today has clearly show the extent to which international cooperation has a major importance during the global pandemic”, he said adding: “Hungary also received hundreds of virus test kits from China as a donation”.

The Minister also reported on the fact that Macedonia had also received a donation, but was unable to fly the equipment out of China because of a lack of any air transport capability. “The Chinese donation bound for North Macedonia was shipped out of China aboard one of our aeroplanes”, Mr. Szijjártó said, adding that the protective equipment will be shipped to the Macedonians separately on Monday by road.

“Hungary also shipped 50 thousand face masks to the Holy See on Friday”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said. “The Vatican requested the protective equipment to preserve the health of elderly priests; naturally, we responded immediately”, he explained.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)