“In recent years, cooperation between Hungary and Slovakia has become a series of success stories”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó highlighted at a joint press conference streamed on Facebook following a meeting with Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Richard Sulík on Monday.

“Slovakia is Hungary’s third most important trade partner, its second most important export market, and the third most important target for Hungarian capital investment”, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted. “All political conditions are given for this success story to continue; a never before seen number of links will be realised between the two countries in the upcoming years”, he added.

As he explained, the 600-metre, new Danube Bridge at Komárom (Komárno) will be opened to traffic in August and six new border crossing points will be opened by 2022, 3 of which will be new bridges crossing the River Ipoly. In addition, a continuous motorway link between Miskolc and Košice (Kassa) will be established by 2022. The two countries have also agreed to link their electricity networks by the end of 2020. Barriers to the capacity of the interconnector linking the Hungarian-Slovakian natural gas systems being tripled in the direction of Slovakia have also been cleared, as a result of which over 5 billion cubic metres of natural gas may be shipped to Slovakia from Hungary each year from 2024.

With relation to this, the Minister pointed out that based on its agreement with Gazprom, Hungary will be able to purchase billions of cubic metres of natural gas via the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. In reply to a question on the subject, he explained that the Hungarian project related to the linking of the Hungarian-Slovakian natural gas systems will cost 43 billion forints (EUR 123 million), the financial collateral of which is assured.

Mr. Szijjártó highlighted the fact that never before have there been so many road links between the two countries and never before have energy links been so close. “Everything is given to ensure that the mutually advantageous relationship between the two countries, which is based on mutual respect, will continue”, he added. “This is good for Slovakia, good for Hungary and good for Hungarians living in Slovakia”, he declared.

The Minister also mentioned that cooperation between the two countries has also been exemplary during the coronavirus epidemic, with the two countries agreeing that Hungarian and Slovakian citizens living within a 30-kilometre zone along the border can use 11 border crossing points to commute to work, and enabling freight traffic to cross the border at 10 places.

Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that when an attack was launched against Hungary in the European Parliament, Richard Sulík had not supported it as an MEP, for which he had expressed Hungary’s thanks and that of all Hungarians.

In reply to a question, the Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister drew attention to the importance of diversification, explaining that so far natural gas has only been able to arrive in Slovakia from the East, and for this reason it is very important that gas will no also be able to arrive from the South.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade / MTI)