“In this current period of challenges, only innovative answers are good answers and only innovative nations can be successful”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in Budapest on Tuesday.
Péter Szijjártó was speaking at the opening of the “think.BDPST” regional innovation forum organised by the Antall József Knowledge Centre. Prior to his opening speech, he told reporters: if the countries of the Visegrád Group wish to remain the engines of European growth in the long term, they must be the best and most flexible within the field of innovation. This is also the goal of the current conference, which will be organised every year from now on.
The Minister pointed out that global changes are leading to the establishment of a new world order, and although the debate is still ongoing as to what phase this process is currently in, we can be certain that countries must face new challenges. This means only countries that have sufficient creativity and innovative capabilities can survive and grow stronger, he explained.
The significance of the V4 is increasing in this period of challenges and it is a piece of “historic luck” that cooperation happens to be closest and strongest at precisely this moment. A weaker and less unified Visegrád Group would have a lesser chance of facing up to the challenges faced by the world and the region, Mr. Szijjártó said.
By organising this conference on innovative technologies, Hungary has set as its goal to bring together the V4’s highest level political, economic and educational leaders on a single common platform to enable the region to overcome the obstacles generated by the new world order and face the challenges ahead as successfully as possible, the Foreign Minister stated, adding that the countries of the V4 would be weaker individually and less powerful without strong solidarity.
President of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office József Pálinkás spoke about the fact that good ideas are often very simple, and such was the idea put forward 25 years ago by former Prime Minister József Antall to establish cooperation between the countries of Central Europe. If you look at the map it becomes immediately obvious just how simple a geopolitical idea it is, he pointed out, adding that in the current European situation it is also clear that the countries of the V4 are in a similar situation than they were when cooperation was established a quarter of a century ago: the countries of the Visegrád Group are in a similar situation and have similar interests.
Mr. Pálinkás pointed out that the total population of the V4 is on a par with that of France, but its economic power and strength in research and development is not. “If we want a strong Europe, we must make ourselves stronger”, he said, adding that if these four countries join forces they are an alliance to be reckoned with both in Europe and globally.
The statement issued by the organisers of the conference states: At the forum, representatives of business life, the administration and science will discuss the most important take-off points of the Visegrád region’s development policy, economic development, research financing and opportunities for cooperation on innovation policy. The goal of the first such conference is to act as an annual innovation strategy forum to tighten regional cooperation between the private, public and non-governmental sectors within the field of innovation and research & development.
The event, which was officially opened at the Pest Vigadó concert hall on Tuesday, will continue in the Castle Garden Bazaar on Wednesday and Thursday with the participation of 40 speakers.
(MTI)
