After meeting his German counterpart in Berlin on Monday, the Hungarian minister of foreign affairs and trade said that Hungary will open two new consulates-general in Germany: in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart.

Following talks held with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Tibor Navracsics told their joint press conference that the new consulates-general will help Hungary “get even closer to the German public.”

Mr. Navracsics, who was paying a one-day working visit to Berlin, expressed thanks to Germany for the support it has lent to Hungary's Euro-Atlantic integration over the past 25 years.

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"Germany has stood by Hungary many times in promoting its integration into the EU and NATO," Mr. Navracsics said; he added that he had invited his German colleague to a commemoration event marking the 25th anniversary of Hungary opening its border with the West, allowing East Germans to pass through the Iron Curtain. Mr. Steinmeier has accepted the invitation.

Mr. Steinmeier said that the border opening in 1989 signalled Hungary's solidarity, and without it there would have been no possibility for many Germans to gain freedom, as Germany’s reunification would also have been impossible.

Concerning the situation in Ukraine, Mr. Navracsics said that Hungary supports Germany's crisis management efforts.

He said that democracy, the rule of law and "respecting minority rights" are of fundamental importance to Hungary, which is a neighbour of Ukraine.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)