“We are continuing to do everything possible to assure continuous and unhindered freight transport, because this is necessary for the security of people’s supply, and for the functioning of countries’ economies”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Thursday following talks with his Czech, Slovakian and Austrian counterparts.

He explained that he has asked the Austrian Foreign Minister to begin the separation of heavy goods vehicles and personal traffic in a timely manner at the Hegyeshalom-Nickelsdorf border crossing station, to ensure that people waiting for transit travel allowed overnight do not block freight traffic. “We have received a promise with respect to this, and in fact the reply received was that Austria has already begun this task”, he stated.

The Minister said he had also asked his Austrian counterpart to ensure that people waiting for overnight transit also don’t block traffic in either direction during the day, with relation to which he also received a promise, and was informed of the fact that suitable measures have already been implemented.

With relation to Hungary and Slovakia, Mr. Szijjártó pointed out that on Monday in Parliament the Prime Minister had already made it clear that bilateral negotiations are already ongoing with relation to the border crossing regulations, in view of the fact that cross-border communities are in extremely close contact with each other. “We have succeeded in coming to an agreement; the border crossing of Hungarian and Slovakian citizens has been regulated”, he stated.

“In the interests of also shortening waiting times for freight traffic, heavy goods vehicles will now be able to cross the border at three points instead of two, at Rajka, Parassapuszta and Tornyosnémeti”, he announced.

The Foreign Minister also spoke about the fact that, after consulting with the Minister of Interior and the Mayor of Komárom on Thursday, Hungary has asked Slovakia to re-open the border crossing station at Komárom (Komarno) to facilitate border crossing on the part of Hungarian and Slovakian citizens.

(MTI)