The Hungary/North Rhine-Westphalia Intergovernmental Joint Committee held its fourth session in Budapest on Friday, after which the parties signed the minutes of the meeting.

At the press conference following the signing ceremony, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary and the Committee’s co-chair Levente Magyar told the press: “North Rhine-Westphalia is Hungary’s number one economic partner from among the states of Germany”. “This is what makes this system of relations, which has been given a further boost in recent years by the reestablishment of the Joint Committee and the fact that joint issues are reviewed at the Committee’s sessions every year or two, particularly important”, he pointed out.

The State Secretary recalled that in recent days experts discussed 27 projects, which could become the backbone of cooperation. “The projects are extremely wide-ranging, covering innovation, industrial cooperation, culture and science, which indicates the diversity and extent of relations”, he explained.

Mr. Magyar noted that not only are Hungary’s political and economic relations with Berlin outstanding, but the Government also striving to maintain intensive dialogue at individual state level.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Federal, European and International Affairs Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner spoke about the fact that this cooperation is successfully and mutually beneficial to both parties. “The challenges that Europe is facing are increasing the value of cooperation, because countries cannot meet these challenges alone, but only together”, he pointed out. “The EU must serve the representation of our common interests, but nobody should have to give up their identity as a result”, he added.

According to the German politician, the 27 projects will lead to an even closer friendship between the two parties.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)