“The governments of the two countries are maintaining the best ever relationship in the cooperation between Hungary and Slovakia, which is based on mutual respect” Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a press conference in Bratislava on Wednesday.

Mr. Szijjártó said that the two countries are constructing joint success stories in the interests of enabling them to also discuss the existing difficult issues. A total of nine infrastructure development projects will be realised by 2023 in partnership by the two countries.

The Minister explained that the new Komarno Bridge will be put into commission in 2020, in addition to which the missing stretch of the motorway connecting the two capitals will also be completed. The Hungarian stretch of the dual carriageway connecting Miskolc and Košice will be completed by 2022, three bridges will be constructed across the River Ipoly, and three minor border crossing points will be opened.

He also spoke about the fact that the interconnection of the two countries’ high voltage power grids is also going according to schedule, and the two systems will be connected at Sajóivánka and Gönyű by 2020.

“Work on the high-speed railway line that will be connecting the capitals of the Visegrád Group countries has begun, and the quadrilateral working group previously agreed upon by our transport ministers will soon be set up. The public procurement tender for the feasibility study relating to the Hungarian stretch of the high-speed railway line has already been published”, he explained.

The Foreign Minister also mentioned that the Upper Hungary Economic Development Programme will be continuing, the first phase of which has been successfully completed. 1521 applicants have been awarded funding within the framework of the Programme, and according to the Minister this is good for Hungary, because it reinforces the Hungarian national community, and it is also good for Slovakia, because it is strengthening the Slovakian economy. The Cabinet has authorised the required financial backing for the continuation of the Programme.

Mr. Szijjártó also spoke about the fact that the Government is closely monitoring the preparations of the Party of Hungarian Community (MKP) for the local government elections in November, at which the MKP is putting forward over three hundred candidates for the post of Mayor and has over 2250 council candidates, and expressed his hope that as many members of the Hungarian national community living in Slovakia as possible will participate in the elections.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade also told reporters that the two countries agree to a major extent with relation to issues that affect the future of the European Union, explaining that ten out of Slovakia’s thirteen Members of  the European Parliament refused to vote in favour of the Sargentini Report, which “ condemns Hungary on false pretences”. He expressed his thanks to Speaker of Slovakian Parliament Andrej Danko, who has proposed that the Parliament in Bratislava adopt a decree in defence of Hungary’s sovereignty.

(MTI)