“Hungary is providing the most preferential visa procedures possible to Turkish businesspeople and enterprises, in view of the fact that Turkey has previously introduced visa-free travel for Hungarian citizens”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told Hungarian news agency MTI on Friday in Ankara.

The planned move is one of the nine points developed to boost bilateral economic cooperation, which was set down in the minutes of the latest meeting of the Hungarian-Turkish Joint Economic Committee on Thursday and Friday.

Prior to the plenary session of the Joint Economic Committee, Mr. Szijjártó was received by Zurkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu. The Hungarian Foreign Minister also held talks with Turkey’s Minister for Science, Technology and Industry Faruk Özlü.

“Hungary stands by Turkey in the fight against terrorism, and rejects the developing European mood that is more worried about the rights of those who took part in the coup attempt on 15 July of last year, than about the coup attempt itself”, Mr. Szijjártó told reporters.

“Hungary is also not prepared to accept the international opinion that the some terrorist organisations must be treated differently to others. A terrorist organisation is a terrorist organisation, and we must fight against all terrorist organisations”, he stressed.

“The Hungarian Government believes that a coup attempt is a serious matter, which requires a serious response”, he added.

“It is in the interests of Hungary and all of Europe for Turkey to be stable and have a stable leadership, because today, Europe’s security begins with the stability of Turkey. The refugee agreements signed by the EU last March placed the guarantee of European security in the hands of the Turkish administration”, the Minister said.

“Hungary’s standpoint is that cooperation between Ankara and Brussels must become as tight as possible, in view of the fact that Turkey’s competitiveness sis improving dynamically, while the European Union is continuously losings its competitiveness”? Mr. Szijjártó said.

“The next session of the Hungarian-Turkish high level strategic council, meaning the meeting between the countries’ two prime ministers and leading cabinet members, will be held in Turkey in late April or early May”, the Hungarian Foreign Minister indicated.

(MTI / Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)