Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Tibor Navracsics offered alliance to Slovenia in international relations in Ljubljana on Wednesday.

During his first trip abroad as foreign minister, Mr Navracsics held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Karl Erjavec, his Slovenian counterpart. "I have come here to offer alliance to Slovenia in Central Europe, within the European Union and in international organisations," Mr Navracsics told reporters after the talks.

Drawing lessons from history, Hungary feels a great deal of responsibility for shaping Central European cooperation, the Minister said. Hungary and Slovenia should become "true, long-term and strategic friends", he stated. Hungary advocates extending the Visegrad Four cooperation to Slovenia and Croatia, Mr Navracsics added.

Mr Erjavec called Hungary a very important economic partner, noting that annual bilateral trade turnover amounted to 1.7 billion euros. He mentioned the economy, the infrastructure and the energy sector as prospective fields of closer cooperation.

Mr Erjavec said that Hungarian firms showed keen interest in the privatisation of Slovenia's state-owned telecommunication company, Ljubljana Airport, Adria Airways and Nova Kreditna Banka of Maribor. The deputy premier added that the two countries held very similar positions on the Ukrainian crisis and the Western Balkans.

The ministers also exchanged views on modernising the Pragersko-Hodos railway line as well as the port of Koper.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)