“Hungary and Serbia are seeking to establish even tighter economic cooperation, because the value of friendship increases in challenging times”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in the Vojvodinian city of Zenta (Senta), where he and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic opened a new automotive cable manufacturing plant built by Tisza Automotive Ltd., a member of the Hungarian Tisza Cipő Group.

“Hungarian-Serbian friendship has gained in value during the course of the migrant crisis, but it is also important that this friendship should include everyday expressions; investment projects that have been realised through joint effort”, Mr. Szijjártó said. “Joint projects contribute to enabling Central Europe to remain the engine of the European economy”, he added. “The automotive sector is the flagship industry of the Hungarian economy and all such investment projects prove that both the Hungarian and the Serbian workforce are capable of meeting European standards” he stressed. The company currently employs 490 people, and the new plant will mean the creation of a further 510 new jobs by the end of the year.

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Minister Szijjártó recalled that trade turnover between the two countries increased to a record 1.7bn euros in 2014, with further growth of 4 percent recorded during the first 6 months of this year, but added that the closing of the border crossing station at Röszke would have a detrimental effect on economic indicators.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic emphasised the increasing level of Hungarian investment in Serbia and the fact that there is also heightened interest in the wave of privatisation that is currently ongoing in the country. “I am positive that Hungary and Serbia have a very bright joint future”, the Serbian head of government declared.

In addition to praising economic relations, the two politicians also spoke about the problems caused by the immigration crisis. Mr. Szijjártó stressed that neither the Hungarian nor the Serbian government would allow relations between the two countries to fall prey to the problems caused by immigration.

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Trade turnover between the two countries increased to a record 1.7bn euros in 2014, with further growth of 4 percent recorded during the first 6 months of this year – Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Zsolt Burger

Mr. Szijjártó said that on Tuesday he had spoken to Serbian Minster of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic about the economic problems caused to Serbia by the Croatian border closure, with relation to which he declared that immigration is creating increasing economic difficulties in Europe in view of the fact that the measures introduced are also causing difficulties for those who would like to cross the border legitimately and legally.

“This is the beginning of a new world order; we are not talking about a refugee crisis, but about a wave of mass migration”, the Minister said before listing Hungary’s three proposals for a solution to the problem: we must establish a joint EU force that is capable of protecting Greece’s borders, EU funding must be provided to existing refugee camps, and transit countries must be given financial assistance.

“One of the many reasons the compulsory quota system is unsatisfactory is that many more people have entered the European Union since the original debate on the distribution of 120 thousand immigrants”, he explained.
In reaction to calls by Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic for Serbia to send its immigrants in the direction of Hungary, Mr. Szijjártó said: “The Croatian Prime Minister should fight his election campaign in Croatia, not in Hungary and Serbia”.

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The Prime Minister of Serbia told reporters that he had written a letter to European leaders pointing out what treaties – including the EU Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance – Croatia has contravened by closing its border to freight traffic from Serbia, adding that he hoped a solution would be reached at the earliest opportunity and freight traffic can recommence soon.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)