Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó opened a new Hungarian Consulate in Geneva on Tuesday.

At the official opening of the diplomatic representation, the Minister said: “It is more than symbolic that Hungary is opening another consulate during the coronavirus epidemic. This also clearly indicates the diversity of the government’s tasks and responsibilities, in view of the fact that we must on the one hand protect people’s lives and health, but as clearly decided by the Hungarian people during the course of the National Consultation, functionality must also be maintained”. “Hungary must operate, and for Hungary to function diplomacy and foreign policy must also function”, Mr. Szijjártó declared.

According to the Minister, it is no overstatement that Geneva is one of the capitals of Europe and the world, and one of this century’s diplomatic bastions in the world, which is home to one of the United Nations’ global centres and the headquarters of a host of international organisations, and the Hungarians are heavily involved in the work of the world’s large international organisations. The city is home to, amongst others, the headquarters of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Human Rights Council, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

According to Mr. Szijjártó, international organisations are extremely important stages for the enforcement of natural interests for a country like Hungary, with many of its citizens living outside its borders and an export performance that greatly exceeds the economic performance that could be expected based on its population.

The Minister pointed out that the reason there are many Hungarians living in Geneva is not only because they work at the many international organisations that can be found there, but also because the city was already a major emigration centre for Hungarians in the early 19th century, as well as during the periods of emigration in 1849 and 1956. He pointed out that Antónia Zichy, widow of Hungary’s first independent prime minister Lajos Batthyány, also settled in Geneva after 1849, as did General Klapka, who became commander in chief of Geneva’s armed forces and represented the city and the canton throughout the world as a diplomatic official, in addition to which 20th century political scientist István Bibó also completed his university studies in the city.

“Following the 1956 Revolution, some 14 thousand Hungarians chose Switzerland as their second home, many of whom moved to Geneva and the surrounding area. It is perhaps also thanks to this that one of the first 1956 memorials in Switzerland was erected in Geneva in the city’s suburbs”, the Minister stated.

There are currently some 2500 Hungarians living in and around Geneva with residency permits, and in the three cantons that are covered by the new Consulate, and the Hungarian authorities are aware of some 2-2.5 thousand Swiss citizens of Hungarian origin. “The administration of their various issues will become much easier in view of the fact that the consulate will also be performing advocacy and public notary duties”, Mr. Szijjártó said.
The Minister drew attention to the fact that the new Consulate in Geneva is the fifth Hungarian diplomatic representation opened so far this year. There are now Hungarian ambassies, consulate generals or consulate offices operating in 144 locations worldwide.  According to Mr. Szijjártó, in addition to making everyday life easier for Hungarians living in and around Geneva, the opening of the consulate is at least as much about Hungarian-Swiss relations; by opening the consulate, Hungary is recognising their importance and expressing its wish to work on the further development of bilateral relations.

Switzerland is one of Hungary’s 25 most important trade partners, and Switzerland is in 11th place with relation to the volume of investment in Hungary; the 825 Swiss enterprises currently operating in Hungary provide a dependable living for a total of 30 thousand Hungarian families. Mr. Szijjártó pointed out that last week Swiss company Nestlé announced the launch of a 140-million-euro investment project in Western Hungary.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)