“Hungary and Slovakia are allied and neighbouring countries, and in recent years both sides have worked hard to ensure that this previously unimaginable sentence can now be stated”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Monday in Budapest following talks with his Slovakian counterpart.
At their joint press conference, the Minister highlighted: “Bilateral cooperation on the most important issues relating to the future of Europe remains close, both countries are taking a stand against illegal migration, and are both continuing to take a stand against mandatory resettlement quotas”. “Our position is also clear in the debate on the European Union’s next seven-year multiannual financial framework: EU resources are due to the countries of Central Europe in accordance with the treaties”, he pointed out.
“Slovakia is the current President of the Visegrád Group (V4), which is the closest and most effective alliance within the EU, and cooperation between the members of the Group is tight despite continuous attempts to divide them, and in recent weeks the countries of the V4 have proven their solidarity on several occasions”, he explained. Mr. Szijjártó said that in his opinion dynamically developing Hungarian-Slovakian relations are advantageous to both Slovakian Hungarians and Slovakians living in Hungary. Last year, bilateral trade flow exceeded ten billion euros, he stated. “Slovakia is Hungary’s third most important trade partner. We will be continuing the Upper Hungary Economic Development Programme and are developing transport links: the new Danube bridge at Komárom (Komárno) and the motorway connection at Rajka will both be opened next year”, he said.
“In addition, three new bridges are being constructed over the River Ipoly, towards which EU funding has been successfully acquired, and the relaunching of two previously closed railway links is also on the agenda”, he added. The Foreign Minister also spoke about the fact that a diplomatic representation headed by an honorary consul will be opened in Nitra (Nyitra), and a sub-consulate in Banská Bystrica (Besztercebánya), which also indicates the importance that Hungary is placing on bilateral relations.
Mr. Szijjártó thanked Slovakia’s Parliament for standing up in support of Hungary and Poland with relation to the Brussels procedures, and for adopting a law stating that there should also be Hungarian language signs at railways stations with relatively low traffic. The Minister also thanked his Slovakian negotiating partner for giving a speech at the ambassadors’ conference currently ongoing in Budapest.
Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák declared: “We are proud that the current Hungarian and Slovakian governments have succeeded in achieving the fact that bilateral relations have never before been as good as they are now, and that there is no topic about which we cannot negotiate. “This dynamic dialogue is advantageous to both citizens and economic cooperation”, he said. As he explained, good relations enable the two countries to deal with problems and EU affairs together, and to work on ensuring that the voice of the V4 can clearly be heard, and that the parties can contribute constructively to EU debates.
In reply to a question, Mr. Szijjártó said: “We have an open dispute with Jean-Claude Juncker”, the President of the European Commission, which is not something new. Juncker “is implementing the Soros plan” with relation to migration, and recently the Commission has done everything possible in the interests of introducing the quotas, in addition to putting pressure on sovereign member states to become immigrant countries”, he explained. “Since George Soros and Jean-Claude Juncker are speaking openly about this, we are doing the same, and are not leaving attacks without a due response”, he added.
Also in reply to a question, the Slovakian Foreign Minister pointed out that Slovakia did also not vote in favour of the UN Global Compact for Migration, adding that in his opinion the current environment is not suitable for enabling a rational debate on migration in Slovakia. He also spoke about the fact that the V4 + Israel prime ministerial summit was planned for last Tuesday, but that immediately prior to the meeting an unfortunate statement was made by the new Israeli Foreign Minister, because of which Poland indicated that under such conditions it will not be participating in the meeting, and asked that it be postponed. In view of the fact that the heads of government were already on their way to Israel, they decided to only hold bilateral talks, and according to the current agreement the prime ministerial summit will be held sometime during the second half of this year”, he stated.
(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)
